Britain's roads are packed with traffic and Londoners cram onto the Tube as phone and GPS data shows millions voting with their feet and going back to work at start of sixth week of lockdown
Britain's roads were packed with traffic this morning, piling pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson who returned to work today as calls for an easing of the lockdown from within his party grow. With measures in place until at least May 7, he acknowledged frustrations over the restrictions but insisted he would not risk a second peak in the disease by relaxing them too quickly. Photographs taken during rush hour showed queues building up on London roads including the A40 at Perivale (left and bottom right) and the A102 at Greenwich, while the M5 in Bristol and the M6 in Walsall were also busy with cars, vans and lorries. Meanwhile rail commuters continue to pile onto London Underground trains as travel bosses carry on running a reduced service only for key workers, with Canning Town (top right) and Canada Water stations both busy this morning. Mobility data from Apple based on requests for directions via its apps showed more people are now driving, but the use of public transport has remained static.
Ministers were warned last year to stockpile PPE for a coronavirus pandemic - and told an outbreak could come in three waves, kill 65,000 people and cost £2.35TRILLION
Ministers were last year warned of the grave consequences a future pandemic would unleash on the UK, a leaked Cabinet Office briefing had revealed. Tens of thousands of deaths, crippling economic costs and creaking public services were predicted in the 2019 National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) which mapped out how an outbreak would likely unfold. Foreboding the current coronavirus crisis, it recommended stockpiling personal protective equipment and drawing up plans to repatriate stranded Britons abroad. The government was also told to shore up the infrastructure needed to conduct mass contact tracing, in a revelation that will pour petrol on the simmering row over the lack of testing. The assessment said a relatively mild outbreak of 'moderate virulence' could lead to 65,600 deaths and could cost the UK £2.35trillion. It is not clear if Boris Johnson was prime minister when the report was written, or whether it was given to ministers serving the previous administration under Theresa May.
If there’s any truth in this story, they should all hang there heads in shame.....whilst we borrow a guilllotine from the French
Also; It’s all gone quiet on the Jacob- the face I most want to punch- Rees Mogg front as his company is too busy advising it’s clients to make a fortune on the back on this pandemic.....
Ministers were warned last year to stockpile PPE for a coronavirus pandemic - and told an outbreak could come in three waves, kill 65,000 people and cost £2.35TRILLION
Ministers were last year warned of the grave consequences a future pandemic would unleash on the UK, a leaked Cabinet Office briefing had revealed. Tens of thousands of deaths, crippling economic costs and creaking public services were predicted in the 2019 National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) which mapped out how an outbreak would likely unfold. Foreboding the current coronavirus crisis, it recommended stockpiling personal protective equipment and drawing up plans to repatriate stranded Britons abroad. The government was also told to shore up the infrastructure needed to conduct mass contact tracing, in a revelation that will pour petrol on the simmering row over the lack of testing. The assessment said a relatively mild outbreak of 'moderate virulence' could lead to 65,600 deaths and could cost the UK £2.35trillion. It is not clear if Boris Johnson was prime minister when the report was written, or whether it was given to ministers serving the previous administration under Theresa May.
If there’s any truth in this story, they should all hang there heads in shame.....whilst we borrow a guilllotine from the French
Also; It’s all gone quiet on the Jacob- the face I most want to punch- Rees Mogg front as his company is too busy advising it’s clients to make a fortune on the back on this pandemic.....
Public trust plummets in Britain's handling of pandemic, new poll reveals Doubts focus on failures over testing and whether government acted quickly enough at outset
The public’s confidence in the government’s ability to handle the coronavirus crisis has fallen sharply in the past fortnight, with less than half of voters now having faith in decisions made by ministers, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer. A particularly low proportion of people (15%) believe the government is handling the key issue of testing well (down from 22% two weeks ago). Some 57% disapprove of the way testing has been handled, up from 48% on 7 April.
Just 7% of people think the level of testing for Covid-19 has been sufficient, while 71% think it has been insufficient – a finding barely changed since two weeks ago, despite the government’s huge efforts to “ramp up” the number of tests to 100,000 a day by the end of this month. With more doubts raised over the past week about ministers’ handling of the crisis, particularly in the early stages when other countries were introducing contact tracing and lockdowns while the UK adopted other approaches, those leading the government’s drive to contain the virus – Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, and Matt Hancock, health secretary – have both seen falls in public trust.
The papers and news websites have plenty to say about Boris Johnson's first appearance since returning to work following his recuperation from coronavirus. The Spectator website says the statement was more of a pep talk and a way of saying to the country that he was back and in control of things. In the Sun's words, Britain will have been mightily relieved to see him back in command with his optimism undimmed. For Macer Hall in the Daily Express, he glowed with renewed vim and vigour and was back to his oratorical best. Paul Goodman, writing on the Conservative Home website, says listening to his vivid language, with its image of the British people fighting back against a mugger virus, was like being jolted awake after snoozing off. The Daily Telegraph reports that the prime minister will hold a series of meetings with key ministers this week to finalise details of how different sectors of the economy could start easing their way out of the lockdown. The Times quotes a No 10 adviser as saying Mr Johnson will "put flesh on the bones" of the plan by the end of this week.
Boris Johnson returned to work after recovering from the virus The Daily Mirror says that after more than a month of being cooped up, people have been given a glimmer of hope over a return to something resembling normal life. "Not much longer", is the paper's front page headline. With similar optimism, the i headline declares there's "hope in sight". According to the Guardian, business leaders and trade unions have been drafted into sector-by-sector meetings chaired by Business Secretary Alok Sharma in recent days, amid concerns in Whitehall that many employees may be reluctant to return to the workplace. The paper says measures under discussion aimed at allaying fears include the use of face masks and hand sanitiser on public transport, one-in-one-out rules and socially-distanced queues for non-essential shops, as well as revised operating procedures for building sites.
The Nightingale Hospital in Bristol was the latest facility to be opened in response to the coronavirus crisis The Times says Britain's Nightingale hospitals are being lined up to become the primary centres for treating Covid-19 patients. Under proposals being discussed in government and the NHS - the paper goes on - the 10 new hospitals will aim to care for as many coronavirus patients as possible, allowing traditional hospitals to become "Covid-free zones". That would free up beds to allow them to scale up routine operations again.
The Daily Express leads with the one-minute silence for key workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus. Pictures of many of them are arranged around the headline, "in memory of their sacrifice". The Daily Mirror says the deaths are a grim reminder of the debt of honour owed to "huge numbers of grafters" risking their lives to save ours and keep Britain functioning. Let the silence be deafening as we demonstrate our quiet gratitude, the paper urges.
More than 120,000 birthday cards have been sent to Captain Tom Moore Finally, the Daily Mail has a picture of what it calls a sea of cards for Captain Tom Moore's 100th birthday on Thursday. Captain Tom's 16-year-old grandson, Benjie, is standing in the middle of the cards, which take up the whole of the floor of the hall at Bedford School, where he's a pupil. The school has taken on the task of sorting through the sack loads of cards for the Second World War veteran, who has raised £29m for NHS charities. The paper says more than 120,000 cards have - so far - been sent from around the UK and the world.
Several front pages feature images of NHS workers joining in a minute's silence to remember their colleagues lost to the pandemic. At Southend Hospital, staff stand alongside the shoes that will never again be filled. "Never Forgotten" is the headline in the Sun. For Daily Telegraph columnist Judith Woods, "the lowering gunmetal skies reflected the sombre mood below" as "Britain looked on in deep and humbling gratitude" to those who "died while keeping us alive".
Meanwhile, the Times raises fears that care homes could soon account for more deaths from coronavirus than hospitals. The NHS Confederation tells the paper the care system must be reformed, to ensure residents aren't treated as "second-class citizens". The Daily Mirror accuses the government of "creating death traps" by "parachuting" hospital patients into homes without tests and failing to provide staff with proper personal protective equipment (PPE), while the Guardian says protecting care homes must now be its top priority. The Metro describes the new death rate for Covid-19 as "worse than the Blitz", pointing out that the number of people who have died in London over the past four weeks is higher than the worst nights of bombing in the World War Two. With people showing cancer symptoms being urged not to put off seeing their GP, there's a warning in the Daily Mail that the "old enemy" of cancer presents a "still greater danger" than Covid-19. The NHS National Clinical Director, Prof Peter Johnson, writes that people are still dying from cancers, and he insists that cancer care can still be provided safely without putting an extra burden on the NHS.
The Daily Telegraph reports that public health officials in Switzerland have announced it's safe for children under 10 to hug their grandparents again - because scientists there have concluded that young children pose no risk of coronavirus infection. The Royal College of Paediatrics in the UK has said it would need much more data before issuing similar advice. Elsewhere, John Rentoul for the Independent accuses Boris Johnson of playing mind games, ahead of his first potential clash with Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader. Mr Rentoul suggests Mr Johnson has carried out "the equivalent of sledging" by refusing to confirm whether or not he will take part in Prime Minister's Questions later, and says it shows he views the new leader of the opposition as a serious rival. The city of York, says the Guardian, is famous for its "narrow snickelways and labyrinthine lanes" that attract millions of tourists each year. Now retailers are said to be planning to introduce a one-way system in streets like The Shambles to ensure social distancing can continue once its shops reopen. The city is also considering a ban on selfies outside their storefronts.
England's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, is reported by the Daily Telegraph to have become an unlikely muse for the UK's artists. His "now familiar face", it says, "has been sculpted in clay and depicted on canvases across the country". The chief curator at the National Portrait Gallery suggests he presents a "very reassuring figure" - and says the institution is thinking of acquiring its own portrait. The Daily Mail credits itself with a "lifesaving campaign" to fly in 150,000 protective coveralls and masks for NHS staff. It shows what it says is a Dreamliner aircraft "crammed" with a million pounds worth of PPE sourced from China by the charity it helped set up. The Daily Telegraph suggests ministers have relaxed one of the five key criteria that must be met before the lockdown can be lifted. The paper says the aim now is to prevent a new wave of infections "that overwhelm the NHS", when the guidance had previously called for avoiding a second peak altogether. It says the change in policy is one of the "increasing signs that Boris Johnson is preparing to water down restrictions within days". The Financial Times, however, says experts who've assessed whether Britain is close to passing the five tests have found "faltering" progress, suggesting ministers will have to take a "cautious" approach to any relaxation. In the Daily Express, the Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, urges the British public to join the VE Day commemorations on 8 May. He describes the country as being "in the middle of a different battle", and writes that "while we cannot come together in person, we can still stand as one virtually". The paper foresees a day when we will similarly "celebrate victory over Covid-19". Finally, the Financial Times says the skies have darkened for aviation with the news that British Airways is to cut almost 30% of its staff. The announcement, it believes, will "sound alarm bells in the Treasury, as it signals that the coronavirus outbreak is likely to scar parts of the economy even after lockdown restrictions are lifted".
Woman, 35, who stockpiled £2,500 of masks, gloves and face shields refuses to donate any to the NHS as they 'should have been more prepared'
Becca Brown, from Portsmouth, shelled out thousands for PPE as NHS trusts across the UK battled to secure the equipment needed by medics to treat coronavirus patients.
The Guardian says hospital leaders have launched what it calls a "strident attack" on the government's coronavirus testing strategy. NHS Providers, which represent trusts, has expressed their growing frustration. It dismisses the daily 100,000 test target - which the paper expects to be missed by a wide margin - as a "red herring". The Independent examines the wisdom of Health Secretary Matt Hancock, giving himself what it calls this "remarkable statistical rod for his back". But the Daily Mail suggests that missing the self-imposed target does matter, insisting that it raises "questions of confidence and trust" if a minister makes a promise and fails to keep it. Both the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times report that Business Secretary Alok Sharma is looking at how to get Britain back to work safely. The FT says that the minister is aiming to produce 10 papers by the weekend giving advice to employers. Clear guidance is to be welcomed, the head of the CBI employers' group, Carolyn Fairbairn, tells the FT, while noting that the hospitality sector has little hope of renewed activity until the Autumn.
Boris Johnson arrives back in Downing Street after the birth of his son on Wednesday But the suggestion by the head of Wetherspoons, Tim Martin, that his pubs could re-open in June is reported in several papers. The Daily Star splashes the idea on its front page with the headline "12 pints of lager and a pack of crisps, please!" The FT quotes Mr Martin as saying it was "complete cobblers" to suggest he had firm plans. The Times puts forward the prediction that air passengers could wait for up to four hours to board planes as they undergo medical checks. Analysts have forecast that the flight experience could be "very uncomfortable" for up to five years, with travellers paying inflated ticket prices and facing a greatly reduced schedule. The i examines research that suggests the lockdown could have cut the number of pollution related deaths by 1,700. The paper reports that nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen by 36%. Lauri Myllyvirta of the Centre for Research on Clean Air and Energy says: "It's a bit like the entire continent suddenly deciding to stop smoking for a month." But an expert from Imperial College tells the Times that the "interpretation of the findings is open to question". 'Infectious joy' And finally, pictures of a smiling Boris Johnson back in Downing Street after the birth of his son appear on many of the front pages. The Daily Telegraph describes his "crumpled features" being "illuminated with...infectious joy," which it suggests "felt like a balm for the soul". The Times suggests that despite the pandemic the child is "lucky" and "Britain in 2020 is an excellent place and time to enter the world."
Captain Tom initially set out to raise £1,000 for the NHS but has since raised nearly £30m Many papers also feature the fund-raising veteran Tom Moore, who is 100 today and has been made a colonel. The Sun declares "Britain celebrates two morale-boosting birthdays". The Daily Express says he has a rousing birthday message for the UK that "together we will beat this enemy."
The Sun on Sunday's interview with the prime minister yields details about his personal experience of coronavirus in intensive care. The paper says Boris Johnson "welled up" as he relived an "extraordinary two weeks" that saw him nearly lose his own life before recovering in time to see the birth of his son. Its political editor, David Wooding, writes that the PM's "brush with death" has left him a changed man. Describing him as "Boris 2.0", he says Mr Johnson "no longer feels the need to play to the crowd" but that it remains to be seen whether the whole experience becomes a "galvanising moment" that makes him a great prime minister.
Several papers carry the first image of the prime minister and Carrie Symonds' son, Wilfred, on their front pages. "Yes, he has the hair," notes the Sunday Telegraph. The paper's associate editor, Camilla Tominey, praises the couple for releasing the image on Instagram. It "dispensed with some of the stuffiness" that may have been associated with birth announcements of a bygone era, she says.
There's a keen focus on how Mr Johnson is going to set about easing the country from the current lockdown. The Sunday Express claims to reveal the "government's blueprint" for doing just that. It says workplaces will be advised to have floor markings, restrictions on the number of people allowed in lifts, and frequent deep cleans. Specific guidance for shops, outdoor sites, salons and factories is reportedly set to be published shortly as the government seeks a "national consensus" to get people back to work safely. But the Express says theatres, sports grounds and pubs will have to wait to get going again until the risk of a second wave of infections has diminished.
The Mail on Sunday says ministers are preparing to lift restrictions on outdoor activities first, because of scientific advice that transmission of Covid-19 is "substantially lower" outside than it is indoors. If the infection rate continues to fall, people will be allowed out to exercise more than once a day, drive to the countryside for walks and sit outside for picnics, albeit only with fellow members of their household and two metres away from others, the Mail says. But it adds the move would "end the sight of police officers moving on solitary sunbathers in parks". 'Whack-a-mole' The Sunday Times believes the UK's future will resemble a "marathon game of whack-a-mole" - with restrictions eased very gradually and areas that subsequently become virus hotspots "hit hard". And its editorial has a blunt message for the government: "Give us a date". The "constraints on personal and economic freedom" have taken a considerable toll and a "great opening-up" plan is needed this week, it says. It suggests ministers should be aiming for 18 May - the date rail operators have reportedly been told to return to 80% of normal service - to get more than half of people back working as normal. The Sunday Telegraph says Mr Johnson is expected to address the nation on the matter next Sunday, with primary schools reopening as soon as 1 June. One Whitehall source is quoted saying the measure is "crucial... to get things moving" and for early years development.
"Don't open restaurants, schools or stadiums," is the message from British people, according to the Observer. A survey conducted for the newspaper between Wednesday and Friday last week suggests fewer than one person in five believes the criteria has been met to send pupils back to the classroom, hold sporting events in front of crowds or allow people back into restaurants. A psychologist from King's College London, Prof Dame Til Wykes, is quoted by the paper as saying the public will feel "anxious and risk averse" once restrictions are eased because they have been used to "strict behavioural advice" for weeks. It quotes a Whitehall source saying the government is working on how to build up public confidence that it is safe to go to work. One option being considered is for Boris Johnson to appear publicly with a scarf around his mouth, the paper adds.
Amid all the talk of a potential easing of lockdown restrictions, the Sunday Mirror's editorial points out there will be "little respite" for healthcare staff on the frontline. Doctors and nurses have just more "blood, sweat and tears to look forward to", the paper notes. Shopping at Harrods is set to return for "the favoured few," according to the Mail on Sunday. Described by the department store as "remote clientelling", staff are reportedly set to come back on shift to take orders over the phone and via smartphone messaging for the shop's "most prized customers". The Mail suggests the next phase would see Harrods open up departments to customers where it was easy to practise social distancing. "Strewth mate," is the Sun on Sunday's headline on a proposal to complete the Premier League football season in Perth, western Australia. The paper says the option would require fewer coronavirus tests and remove the need for police to control neutral venues in England. The paper reckons it's a "ripper" of an idea
Boris's 'whack-a-mole' plan to get Britain back to work: Kick-start construction, re-open offices under strict distancing, hit emerging hot-spots hard and reopen schools from June 1st but polls show we still have a bad case of coronaphobia
The Prime Minister is expected to reveal his roadmap of proposals to very carefully and slowly lift the restriction in place since late March, but come down hard on any secondary hotspots that emerge. The first easing of restrictions is not expected to come into force until June, and will be accompanied by the stricter enforcement of breaches of the remaining rules, with fines rising from the current £60 to more than £3,000 for repeat offenders. It will include a massive PR blitz urging people who cannot work from home to go in where they can safely, and urging key workers to send their children back to school to free them up for vital tasks. Ministers are concerned that the public have gone beyond the letter of the law introduced when the pandemic began to sweep the nation, according to the Sunday Times.
Lennie James: ‘The Tories have been dishonest about coronavirus – it’s a dangerous game’ The creator and star of ‘Save Me Too’ talks to Ellie Harrison about government failings, growing up without his father, and why he’s not ready to write about racism
James has been “keeping tabs” on the UK government’s response to the pandemic, too. “The Tories have been less than honest in their statements about it,” he says, “but the voices of the opposition and experts in the UK have been loud and immediate and that’s a very good thing. The hardest thing is when governments are dishonest. I find the choice to say something you know not to be true about numbers and testing to be a dangerous and irresponsible game. It gives people a false sense of security and influences their behaviour. “Boris seems to be singing a slightly different tune now that he’s gone through it and it’s directly affected him, but I don’t understand why people who choose to be politicians and represent us are people who can’t empathise with others, until something happens to them.” He sighs. “I don’t know why they’re doing that job. I find it surreal.”
I have just been listening to Ian Blackford on Sky News telling the story about a care home in his constituency. Twenty eight of the thirty four residents, and twenty six of the fifty two staff, have tested positive.
Comments
Britain's roads were packed with traffic this morning, piling pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson who returned to work today as calls for an easing of the lockdown from within his party grow. With measures in place until at least May 7, he acknowledged frustrations over the restrictions but insisted he would not risk a second peak in the disease by relaxing them too quickly. Photographs taken during rush hour showed queues building up on London roads including the A40 at Perivale (left and bottom right) and the A102 at Greenwich, while the M5 in Bristol and the M6 in Walsall were also busy with cars, vans and lorries. Meanwhile rail commuters continue to pile onto London Underground trains as travel bosses carry on running a reduced service only for key workers, with Canning Town (top right) and Canada Water stations both busy this morning. Mobility data from Apple based on requests for directions via its apps showed more people are now driving, but the use of public transport has remained static.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html
Also; It’s all gone quiet on the Jacob- the face I most want to punch- Rees Mogg front as his company is too busy advising it’s clients to make a fortune on the back on this pandemic.....
Doubts focus on failures over testing and whether government acted quickly enough at outset
The public’s confidence in the government’s ability to handle the coronavirus crisis has fallen sharply in the past fortnight, with less than half of voters now having faith in decisions made by ministers, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer.
A particularly low proportion of people (15%) believe the government is handling the key issue of testing well (down from 22% two weeks ago). Some 57% disapprove of the way testing has been handled, up from 48% on 7 April.
Just 7% of people think the level of testing for Covid-19 has been sufficient, while 71% think it has been insufficient – a finding barely changed since two weeks ago, despite the government’s huge efforts to “ramp up” the number of tests to 100,000 a day by the end of this month.
With more doubts raised over the past week about ministers’ handling of the crisis, particularly in the early stages when other countries were introducing contact tracing and lockdowns while the UK adopted other approaches, those leading the government’s drive to contain the virus – Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, and Matt Hancock, health secretary – have both seen falls in public trust.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/26/trust-wanes-in-uk-ministers-handling-of-coronavirus-pandemic-poll
The papers and news websites have plenty to say about Boris Johnson's first appearance since returning to work following his recuperation from coronavirus.
The Spectator website says the statement was more of a pep talk and a way of saying to the country that he was back and in control of things.
In the Sun's words, Britain will have been mightily relieved to see him back in command with his optimism undimmed. For Macer Hall in the Daily Express, he glowed with renewed vim and vigour and was back to his oratorical best.
Paul Goodman, writing on the Conservative Home website, says listening to his vivid language, with its image of the British people fighting back against a mugger virus, was like being jolted awake after snoozing off.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the prime minister will hold a series of meetings with key ministers this week to finalise details of how different sectors of the economy could start easing their way out of the lockdown.
The Times quotes a No 10 adviser as saying Mr Johnson will "put flesh on the bones" of the plan by the end of this week.
Boris Johnson returned to work after recovering from the virus
The Daily Mirror says that after more than a month of being cooped up, people have been given a glimmer of hope over a return to something resembling normal life.
"Not much longer", is the paper's front page headline. With similar optimism, the i headline declares there's "hope in sight".
According to the Guardian, business leaders and trade unions have been drafted into sector-by-sector meetings chaired by Business Secretary Alok Sharma in recent days, amid concerns in Whitehall that many employees may be reluctant to return to the workplace.
The paper says measures under discussion aimed at allaying fears include the use of face masks and hand sanitiser on public transport, one-in-one-out rules and socially-distanced queues for non-essential shops, as well as revised operating procedures for building sites.
The Nightingale Hospital in Bristol was the latest facility to be opened in response to the coronavirus crisis
The Times says Britain's Nightingale hospitals are being lined up to become the primary centres for treating Covid-19 patients.
Under proposals being discussed in government and the NHS - the paper goes on - the 10 new hospitals will aim to care for as many coronavirus patients as possible, allowing traditional hospitals to become "Covid-free zones".
That would free up beds to allow them to scale up routine operations again.
The Daily Express leads with the one-minute silence for key workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus. Pictures of many of them are arranged around the headline, "in memory of their sacrifice".
The Daily Mirror says the deaths are a grim reminder of the debt of honour owed to "huge numbers of grafters" risking their lives to save ours and keep Britain functioning.
Let the silence be deafening as we demonstrate our quiet gratitude, the paper urges.
More than 120,000 birthday cards have been sent to Captain Tom Moore
Finally, the Daily Mail has a picture of what it calls a sea of cards for Captain Tom Moore's 100th birthday on Thursday.
Captain Tom's 16-year-old grandson, Benjie, is standing in the middle of the cards, which take up the whole of the floor of the hall at Bedford School, where he's a pupil.
The school has taken on the task of sorting through the sack loads of cards for the Second World War veteran, who has raised £29m for NHS charities. The paper says more than 120,000 cards have - so far - been sent from around the UK and the world.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-52450126
Article 1 2019
Paid consultant for £250m grant for NHS app
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/11/dominic-cummings-accused-of-conflict-of-interest-over-nhs-fund
Article 2 Mar 20
Leads teccie companies on app devt
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/dominic-cummings-coronavirus-big-tech
Article 3 last week
On SAGE- a non political advisory group..
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/24/revealed-dominic-cummings-on-secret-scientific-advisory-group-for-covid-19
Several front pages feature images of NHS workers joining in a minute's silence to remember their colleagues lost to the pandemic. At Southend Hospital, staff stand alongside the shoes that will never again be filled.
"Never Forgotten" is the headline in the Sun.
For Daily Telegraph columnist Judith Woods, "the lowering gunmetal skies reflected the sombre mood below" as "Britain looked on in deep and humbling gratitude" to those who "died while keeping us alive".
Meanwhile, the Times raises fears that care homes could soon account for more deaths from coronavirus than hospitals. The NHS Confederation tells the paper the care system must be reformed, to ensure residents aren't treated as "second-class citizens".
The Daily Mirror accuses the government of "creating death traps" by "parachuting" hospital patients into homes without tests and failing to provide staff with proper personal protective equipment (PPE), while the Guardian says protecting care homes must now be its top priority.
The Metro describes the new death rate for Covid-19 as "worse than the Blitz", pointing out that the number of people who have died in London over the past four weeks is higher than the worst nights of bombing in the World War Two.
With people showing cancer symptoms being urged not to put off seeing their GP, there's a warning in the Daily Mail that the "old enemy" of cancer presents a "still greater danger" than Covid-19. The NHS National Clinical Director, Prof Peter Johnson, writes that people are still dying from cancers, and he insists that cancer care can still be provided safely without putting an extra burden on the NHS.
The Daily Telegraph reports that public health officials in Switzerland have announced it's safe for children under 10 to hug their grandparents again - because scientists there have concluded that young children pose no risk of coronavirus infection. The Royal College of Paediatrics in the UK has said it would need much more data before issuing similar advice.
Elsewhere, John Rentoul for the Independent accuses Boris Johnson of playing mind games, ahead of his first potential clash with Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader. Mr Rentoul suggests Mr Johnson has carried out "the equivalent of sledging" by refusing to confirm whether or not he will take part in Prime Minister's Questions later, and says it shows he views the new leader of the opposition as a serious rival.
The city of York, says the Guardian, is famous for its "narrow snickelways and labyrinthine lanes" that attract millions of tourists each year. Now retailers are said to be planning to introduce a one-way system in streets like The Shambles to ensure social distancing can continue once its shops reopen. The city is also considering a ban on selfies outside their storefronts.
England's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, is reported by the Daily Telegraph to have become an unlikely muse for the UK's artists. His "now familiar face", it says, "has been sculpted in clay and depicted on canvases across the country". The chief curator at the National Portrait Gallery suggests he presents a "very reassuring figure" - and says the institution is thinking of acquiring its own portrait.
The Daily Mail credits itself with a "lifesaving campaign" to fly in 150,000 protective coveralls and masks for NHS staff. It shows what it says is a Dreamliner aircraft "crammed" with a million pounds worth of PPE sourced from China by the charity it helped set up.
The Daily Telegraph suggests ministers have relaxed one of the five key criteria that must be met before the lockdown can be lifted. The paper says the aim now is to prevent a new wave of infections "that overwhelm the NHS", when the guidance had previously called for avoiding a second peak altogether. It says the change in policy is one of the "increasing signs that Boris Johnson is preparing to water down restrictions within days".
The Financial Times, however, says experts who've assessed whether Britain is close to passing the five tests have found "faltering" progress, suggesting ministers will have to take a "cautious" approach to any relaxation.
In the Daily Express, the Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, urges the British public to join the VE Day commemorations on 8 May. He describes the country as being "in the middle of a different battle", and writes that "while we cannot come together in person, we can still stand as one virtually". The paper foresees a day when we will similarly "celebrate victory over Covid-19".
Finally, the Financial Times says the skies have darkened for aviation with the news that British Airways is to cut almost 30% of its staff. The announcement, it believes, will "sound alarm bells in the Treasury, as it signals that the coronavirus outbreak is likely to scar parts of the economy even after lockdown restrictions are lifted".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-52465908
https://nhsprocurement.org.uk/about/procurement-history/
Becca Brown, from Portsmouth, shelled out thousands for PPE as NHS trusts across the UK battled to secure the equipment needed by medics to treat coronavirus patients.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html
I am sure Boris believes that he can do what he likes and get away with it.
In my experience, this will not last in the longer term.
He will trip himself up, and come crashing down, flat on his face.
It is just a matter of how long this will take.
Brexit will be coming back into the news.
We are facing an economic disaster anyway, which would be exacerbated by a no deal Brexit.
He is still refusing to extend the transition.
Idiotic.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52454741
The Guardian says hospital leaders have launched what it calls a "strident attack" on the government's coronavirus testing strategy.
NHS Providers, which represent trusts, has expressed their growing frustration. It dismisses the daily 100,000 test target - which the paper expects to be missed by a wide margin - as a "red herring".
The Independent examines the wisdom of Health Secretary Matt Hancock, giving himself what it calls this "remarkable statistical rod for his back".
But the Daily Mail suggests that missing the self-imposed target does matter, insisting that it raises "questions of confidence and trust" if a minister makes a promise and fails to keep it.
Both the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times report that Business Secretary Alok Sharma is looking at how to get Britain back to work safely. The FT says that the minister is aiming to produce 10 papers by the weekend giving advice to employers.
Clear guidance is to be welcomed, the head of the CBI employers' group, Carolyn Fairbairn, tells the FT, while noting that the hospitality sector has little hope of renewed activity until the Autumn.
Boris Johnson arrives back in Downing Street after the birth of his son on Wednesday
But the suggestion by the head of Wetherspoons, Tim Martin, that his pubs could re-open in June is reported in several papers. The Daily Star splashes the idea on its front page with the headline "12 pints of lager and a pack of crisps, please!"
The FT quotes Mr Martin as saying it was "complete cobblers" to suggest he had firm plans.
The Times puts forward the prediction that air passengers could wait for up to four hours to board planes as they undergo medical checks. Analysts have forecast that the flight experience could be "very uncomfortable" for up to five years, with travellers paying inflated ticket prices and facing a greatly reduced schedule.
The i examines research that suggests the lockdown could have cut the number of pollution related deaths by 1,700. The paper reports that nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen by 36%. Lauri Myllyvirta of the Centre for Research on Clean Air and Energy says: "It's a bit like the entire continent suddenly deciding to stop smoking for a month."
But an expert from Imperial College tells the Times that the "interpretation of the findings is open to question".
'Infectious joy'
And finally, pictures of a smiling Boris Johnson back in Downing Street after the birth of his son appear on many of the front pages.
The Daily Telegraph describes his "crumpled features" being "illuminated with...infectious joy," which it suggests "felt like a balm for the soul".
The Times suggests that despite the pandemic the child is "lucky" and "Britain in 2020 is an excellent place and time to enter the world."
Captain Tom initially set out to raise £1,000 for the NHS but has since raised nearly £30m
Many papers also feature the fund-raising veteran Tom Moore, who is 100 today and has been made a colonel.
The Sun declares "Britain celebrates two morale-boosting birthdays".
The Daily Express says he has a rousing birthday message for the UK that "together we will beat this enemy."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-52480976
The Sun on Sunday's interview with the prime minister yields details about his personal experience of coronavirus in intensive care.
The paper says Boris Johnson "welled up" as he relived an "extraordinary two weeks" that saw him nearly lose his own life before recovering in time to see the birth of his son.
Its political editor, David Wooding, writes that the PM's "brush with death" has left him a changed man.
Describing him as "Boris 2.0", he says Mr Johnson "no longer feels the need to play to the crowd" but that it remains to be seen whether the whole experience becomes a "galvanising moment" that makes him a great prime minister.
Several papers carry the first image of the prime minister and Carrie Symonds' son, Wilfred, on their front pages.
"Yes, he has the hair," notes the Sunday Telegraph. The paper's associate editor, Camilla Tominey, praises the couple for releasing the image on Instagram.
It "dispensed with some of the stuffiness" that may have been associated with birth announcements of a bygone era, she says.
There's a keen focus on how Mr Johnson is going to set about easing the country from the current lockdown.
The Sunday Express claims to reveal the "government's blueprint" for doing just that. It says workplaces will be advised to have floor markings, restrictions on the number of people allowed in lifts, and frequent deep cleans.
Specific guidance for shops, outdoor sites, salons and factories is reportedly set to be published shortly as the government seeks a "national consensus" to get people back to work safely. But the Express says theatres, sports grounds and pubs will have to wait to get going again until the risk of a second wave of infections has diminished.
The Mail on Sunday says ministers are preparing to lift restrictions on outdoor activities first, because of scientific advice that transmission of Covid-19 is "substantially lower" outside than it is indoors.
If the infection rate continues to fall, people will be allowed out to exercise more than once a day, drive to the countryside for walks and sit outside for picnics, albeit only with fellow members of their household and two metres away from others, the Mail says.
But it adds the move would "end the sight of police officers moving on solitary sunbathers in parks".
'Whack-a-mole'
The Sunday Times believes the UK's future will resemble a "marathon game of whack-a-mole" - with restrictions eased very gradually and areas that subsequently become virus hotspots "hit hard".
And its editorial has a blunt message for the government: "Give us a date".
The "constraints on personal and economic freedom" have taken a considerable toll and a "great opening-up" plan is needed this week, it says.
It suggests ministers should be aiming for 18 May - the date rail operators have reportedly been told to return to 80% of normal service - to get more than half of people back working as normal.
The Sunday Telegraph says Mr Johnson is expected to address the nation on the matter next Sunday, with primary schools reopening as soon as 1 June.
One Whitehall source is quoted saying the measure is "crucial... to get things moving" and for early years development.
"Don't open restaurants, schools or stadiums," is the message from British people, according to the Observer.
A survey conducted for the newspaper between Wednesday and Friday last week suggests fewer than one person in five believes the criteria has been met to send pupils back to the classroom, hold sporting events in front of crowds or allow people back into restaurants.
A psychologist from King's College London, Prof Dame Til Wykes, is quoted by the paper as saying the public will feel "anxious and risk averse" once restrictions are eased because they have been used to "strict behavioural advice" for weeks.
It quotes a Whitehall source saying the government is working on how to build up public confidence that it is safe to go to work. One option being considered is for Boris Johnson to appear publicly with a scarf around his mouth, the paper adds.
Amid all the talk of a potential easing of lockdown restrictions, the Sunday Mirror's editorial points out there will be "little respite" for healthcare staff on the frontline. Doctors and nurses have just more "blood, sweat and tears to look forward to", the paper notes.
Shopping at Harrods is set to return for "the favoured few," according to the Mail on Sunday.
Described by the department store as "remote clientelling", staff are reportedly set to come back on shift to take orders over the phone and via smartphone messaging for the shop's "most prized customers". The Mail suggests the next phase would see Harrods open up departments to customers where it was easy to practise social distancing.
"Strewth mate," is the Sun on Sunday's headline on a proposal to complete the Premier League football season in Perth, western Australia.
The paper says the option would require fewer coronavirus tests and remove the need for police to control neutral venues in England. The paper reckons it's a "ripper" of an idea
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-52517977
The Prime Minister is expected to reveal his roadmap of proposals to very carefully and slowly lift the restriction in place since late March, but come down hard on any secondary hotspots that emerge. The first easing of restrictions is not expected to come into force until June, and will be accompanied by the stricter enforcement of breaches of the remaining rules, with fines rising from the current £60 to more than £3,000 for repeat offenders. It will include a massive PR blitz urging people who cannot work from home to go in where they can safely, and urging key workers to send their children back to school to free them up for vital tasks. Ministers are concerned that the public have gone beyond the letter of the law introduced when the pandemic began to sweep the nation, according to the Sunday Times.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html
The creator and star of ‘Save Me Too’ talks to Ellie Harrison about government failings, growing up without his father, and why he’s not ready to write about racism
James has been “keeping tabs” on the UK government’s response to the pandemic, too. “The Tories have been less than honest in their statements about it,” he says, “but the voices of the opposition and experts in the UK have been loud and immediate and that’s a very good thing. The hardest thing is when governments are dishonest. I find the choice to say something you know not to be true about numbers and testing to be a dangerous and irresponsible game. It gives people a false sense of security and influences their behaviour.
“Boris seems to be singing a slightly different tune now that he’s gone through it and it’s directly affected him, but I don’t understand why people who choose to be politicians and represent us are people who can’t empathise with others, until something happens to them.”
He sighs. “I don’t know why they’re doing that job. I find it surreal.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/lennie-james-save-me-too-racism-coronavirus-trump-tories-boris-johnson-a9494046.html
I have just been listening to Ian Blackford on Sky News telling the story about a care home in his constituency.
Twenty eight of the thirty four residents, and twenty six of the fifty two staff, have tested positive.