If you like to tackle DIY projects around the house, you're going to need a saw or two.
We've rounded up the very best saws you can buy whether you need a jigsaw, chainsaw, circular saw, or table saw.
Growing up, my dad had a workshop that was off-limits to the kids. But occasionally, dad would let us into the workshop to watch him work — and fetch tools for him, of course.
The old table saw always grabbed my attention. This machine's ability to slice through wood like it was bread was fascinating. And its all-metal design, hulking cabinet, thunderous noises, and sharp blade looked unbelievably dangerous, which made it even more fascinating.
When I was a little older and it was time to learn how to saw and work with wood, unfortunately, the table saw remained off-limits. I always had to use a hand saw. I didn't necessarily like it at the time, but it was probably a smart idea. It certainly made me think about each cut more and measure accurately, as I didn't want to have to make two hand cuts. Over the years, learning initially with hand saws has made me appreciate the power tools I own a lot more.
Large table saws still exist, but the world of saws now focuses on portability. The ability to use power saws almost anywhere makes them extremely useful tools. But they haven't put the hand saw out of commission yet. There's still a place for using a hand saw, whether you're making a simple cut or you want to teach your kids about working with wood the old-fashioned way.
Here are the best saws for your home DIY projects:
Prices and links are current as of 4/10/2020. We also added a product showcase of the top of the article, and we updated our selection of related buying guides.
The Makita 5007MGA Circular Saw offers a great level of power, versatility, and precision, making it an outstanding choice in a circular saw.
When it comes to doing simple woodworking jobs at home, having a circular saw gives you a tremendous amount of versatility. It's more mobile than a table saw, yet it delivers plenty of power.
And while there's nothing wrong with sawing one or two 2x4s by hand, if you have 100 to cut, you'll be at it all day with a hand saw. On the plus side, your arm will look very buff.
Our favorite circular saw is the Makita 5007MGA. It delivers the best mix of precision and power among circular saws. It has an excellent electric brake, which will keep you safe while working, and it delivers 5,800 revolutions per minute for plenty of cutting power.
Other expert reviewers mostly have good things to say about the Makita saw. Pro Tool Reviews and Top Ten Reviews give the Makita 5007MGA the highest marks among circular saws, saying it's light enough to take wherever you need to use it. And it can create deep cuts and beveled angle cuts quickly, allowing you to successfully complete almost any job you need to do.
The Makita saw's cutting quality is impressive, but the saw blade may not run straight if you inadvertently place horizontal pressure on the blade while using it, as the blade has a bit of flexibility.
Pros: Outperforms other circular saws, includes a high quality electric brake to keep you safe while cutting, delivers angle cuts up to 56 degrees, lighter weight than other circular saws
Cons: Too much flexibility in the blade when horizontal pressure is applied
The best hand saw
Even though the design is simple, not all hand saws are created equal, and the Stanley 20-526 15-Inch Hand Saw gives you a sure cut with a comfortable handle.
When it comes to sawing wood, we understand that a power saw is the fastest and most precise option. But there may be times when a hand saw will do the job for you without worrying about whether you charged the power saw's battery. Hand saws are also great for cutting thin dowels, insulation foam, or anything else that a power saw may split or shred.
We appreciate the simplicity of the Stanley 20-526 15-Inch Hand Saw. It offers 12 points per inch on the saw blade for efficient cutting. You'll love the comfort of the handgrip, too, which lets you saw for as long as your muscles can handle it.
Stanley welded the handle to the blade, eliminating the need for screws that could loosen over time, which is a smart design element.
You should note that this Stanley saw is a crosscut style of hand saw, which means it won't make fine cuts, leaving some rough edges, so you should also invest in some sandpaper to clean up any splinters.
Pros: Great price point for a saw, very good build quality with the handle welded to the saw blade, handle is comfortable to use for long periods, makes simple cuts quickly
Cons: Crosscut style saw leaves rough edges after cutting, more work to use than a power saw
If you ever need to cut a lot of lumber, you'll quickly find that a lot of different tools can handle the job. But one of the best options is a compound miter saw, and the leader among these saws is the DeWalt DWS780 12-Inch Compound Miter Saw.
The DeWalt saw uses a large circular cutting blade to give it plenty of versatility. You can work through an entire stack of 2x4s in almost no time at all. A compound miter saw has a flat base on which to rest the wood, as well as an LED light to ensure a straight cut.
It also delivers cuts at many different angles with ease by tilting the blade. You can precisely set the blade for a particular angle and lock it in place, making it easy to repeat the angled cut over and over. This is a life-saver and makes a compound miter saw an amazing power tool.
Whether you're a novice around power tools or you have several years of experience, you'll appreciate the DeWalt DWS780 Compound Miter Saw, according to Tool Nerds. However, to gain the most benefit from this power saw, you will need to have the know-how to be able to make occasional adjustments to the unit.
The Sawist likes the built-in LED light for accuracy in cuts and the maximum 16-inch cutting width. All of these features result in a tremendous amount of cutting power, according to Pro Tool Reviews.
This DeWalt power saw carries a high price tag, and it requires a lot of storage and working space, but its feature set and power easily overcome any hassles.
Pros: Ranks well above average versus other compound miter saws in terms of speed and accuracy, easy to make repeated angle cuts with the blade locked in place, delivers plenty of power
Cons: Large and heavy saw body, carries a very high price point, needs occasional adjustments
The best hacksaw
The highest tension setting on the Stanley 15-113 12-Inch Hacksaw ensures you can cut through a variety of materials easily and precisely.
If you don't have a hacksaw among your collection of tools, you're missing out on one of the most versatile types of saws. You can swap out the blade on a hacksaw, giving you the ability to cut through many types of materials, including metal.
Our favorite hacksaw is the Stanley 15-113 12-Inch High Tension Hacksaw, which uses an adjustable tension setting to deliver up to 32,000 PSI on the blade. Some hacksaws have an uncomfortable wobble to the blade, making it difficult to cut with any power, but the Stanley saw features excellent stability because of its high tension setting.
Even though a hacksaw is a hand saw, its slim design gives this type of saw the ability to work in many areas other saws can't reach. To give the Stanley 15-113 High Tension Hacksaw an even greater ability to work in tight spots, you can set the hacksaw blade on the Stanley to a 45-degree angle.
This hacksaw justifies its high price with an excellent performance level. It's also easy to change the blades on this Stanley 15-113 hacksaw, which is a common problem on some cheaper models.
Pros: Offers heavy-duty performance in a hacksaw, able to cut through various types of material, high-tension setting ensures a steady blade that outperforms many hacksaw models
A reciprocating saw (also called a sawzall or hackzall) cuts a whole host of materials, ranging from wood studs and tree branches to metal, PVC, and drywall, making this the kind of general-purpose saw that you'll want to have on hand.
Saw Reviewed says this Milwaukee reciprocating saw has plenty of versatility, thanks to its cordless operation, allowing you to take it anywhere.
Because this reciprocating saw is easy to use and powerful, anyone from a home handyman to a professional contractor will be able to use the Milwaukee 2625-20 saw successfully, according to the Cut the Wood review.
Regardless of your level of experience with this type of saw, you'll appreciate the anti-vibration feature Milwaukee included in this saw. Lower-quality reciprocating saws tend to cause a lot of uncomfortable vibrations.
Pros: One of the most versatile reciprocating saws available, runs from a rechargeable battery, includes a well-designed anti-vibration feature, more powerful than most battery sawzalls
Cons: Must purchase the battery separately, longevity of this model is questionable
Making tricky curved cuts is one of the most difficult types of cuts for a saw — unless you own the right tool. Jigsaws use a tiny blade that moves fast to allow for circular cuts or other types of curved pattern cuts.
Jigsaws also can be pretty dangerous if your unit doesn't have some safeguards, which is why we really like the Bosch JS470E 120-Volt Top-Handle Jigsaw. This saw has a die-cast foot with a steel insert that gives you a sturdy base on which to work, reducing the chances of a slip. You also can pick from four different blade speed settings, which helps you to use the Bosch jigsaw more safely.
When it comes to making curved cuts safely, the Bosch JS470E excels. And as another safety factor, The Saw Guy says you can eject the current blade using a button, meaning you never have to touch a blade that's become heated from use. With the top handle design of this Bosch jigsaw, you can use the machine comfortably and place just the right amount of downward pressure on the saw as it makes a cut.
This model is easy to use, even for those new to jigsaws, but it may not yield professional-level results.
Pros: Speed-adjustable jigsaw for cutting through various types of materials, plenty of safety factors versus other jigsaws, comfortable to use with top-handle design, hands-free blade ejection
Cons: Price is a little high, doesn't offer cutting results to meet the needs of pros
If you think a table saw must be a heavy, stationary power tool, the DeWalt DWE7491RS 10-Inch Job Site Table Saw will change your thinking. This smartly designed table saw works well in a workshop setting, but it also is portable with wheels and a fold-up design to take to a job site.
It's a heavy saw at 90 pounds, but having wheels allows you to easily move it from place to place. It has angle cutting capabilities, and it'll work on many different sizes of wood, giving it the versatility most people need from a table saw.
When you want to set it up for use, it has sturdy legs and a rack and pinion fence system to allow for precise adjustments to create a level surface after it has been moved.
The Sharp Cut review says there's a lot to like about this DeWalt table saw, highlighting its overall engineering and design. The Tool Box Buzz review put it more simply, calling it the best job site table saw it has tested.
Beyond the innovative design that gives the DeWalt DWE7491RS table saw its portability, the Power Tools Rater says this saw's powerful motor makes it an effective cutting tool.
However, a few owners say the tabletop is not always flat and could end up warping over time.
Pros: Innovative design to ensure a level cutting surface, powerful motor for making all kinds of different cuts, good longevity, built-in wheels make it a snap to move the heavy saw anywhere
If you're in the market for a chainsaw, chances are you have a specific need in mind. Whether you're cleaning up after a storm or cutting firewood, you want a reliable machine. After all, you might not use it again for several months. But when it's time to cut wood, you need the chainsaw to be ready to go.
The Husqvarna 460 Rancher 20-Inch Chain Saw has the perfect mix of power and reliability. With a powerful 60.3cc two-stroke engine, this model can handle a lot of work, ripping through branches and trees in no time.
One potential drawback to this Husqvarna chainsaw is its large size. It weighs 12.8 pounds before you attach the bar and chain. Although this doesn't sound like much, it will feel heavy after an hour or so of cutting work.
According to Chain Saw Journal, the Husqvarna 460 Rancher's air cleaning system is among the best you'll see in a chainsaw, ensuring a longer lifespan for the engine. Husqvarna creates high-quality products across the board, according to Tool Nerds, and the 460 Rancher follows suit, as it consists of parts that will last a long time.
A gas-powered chainsaw like the 460 Rancher will require more maintenance than an electric chainsaw. But Husqvarna has made the process of adding fuel and performing maintenance work as easy as possible.
Pros: Consists of high-quality parts that will last a long time, big chainsaw that can handle a lot of tree cutting jobs, large engine, maintenance tasks are easier than with most gas chainsaws
Cons: Price is above average, some problems with keeping the chain tight enough
What type of saw do I really need?
So many different types of saws exist and each one is designed for a different type of job, so it may be confusing for novice DIYers. Using the right saw for the right job will make your work with these tools far more effective and successful. Now on to the different saws you'll find at your local hardware store and their most common uses:
Band Saw: A power band saw uses a small, thin blade to make cuts into tubing or metal pipes. Stationary versions are most common, but some band saws are made to carry to the job site.
Chain Saw: These are huge, portable saws designed to cut large logs or tree branches. They make thick, rough cuts, so they are not recommended for cutting lumber.
Circular Saw: Circular saws are very popular among DIYers, as they are portable and often run from a battery. They use a small circular blade to cut many different thicknesses of lumber.
Compound Miter Saw: This is another popular power saw for homeowners, as it places a circular blade on an arm that you pull down to slice through lumber quickly. These powerful saws also make angled cuts easily. It works best for 2x4s and larger pieces of lumber.
Concrete Saw: A concrete saw uses a large circular blade that slices through cement or foundation bricks. It's portable, but it's really heavy.
Hand Saws: Many types of hand saws still appear on the market. You may use them when working in tight quarters where a power saw cannot fit or reach. A few of the more popular types of hand saws include a back saw, which has a reinforced bar on the top of the blade, making it rigid for miter cuts. A hack saw works well for cutting plastic tubing, wood, or metal with a very small, thin blade. A crosscut saw is a general type of hand saw that works for many different purposes.
Jigsaws: When you need to make precise cuts featuring curves or circles, the power jigsaw provides the ability to make precise cuts with an extremely small and thin blade that moves up and down quickly.
Reciprocating Saw: This horizontally-shaped saw has a thin, long blade that moves back and forth horizontally. You can use it to cut almost anything that's a bit too odd-shaped or awkward for another kind of saw, such as pipes, tree branches, or drywall. Reciprocating saws can run on batteries or power cords. They are nice to have on hand as a general-purpose saw, but they make very rough cuts.
Table Saw: Table saws have always been stationary tools, but some now are portable. They include a large cutting area, where you'll slide the wood across the cutting area and through the spinning blade, which extends just above the surface of the cutting area. It's easy to cut large pieces of wood in a hurry with this type of saw. Table saws are great for ripping, crosscutting, mitering, and beveling.
No home is complete without a good drill for hanging pictures, fixing wobbly shelves, or helping out with a kitchen renovation. A cordless drill allows for easy movement around the house without the need for an outlet nearby. These are the best cordless drills.
Sure, hammers have a pretty simple design, but that doesn't mean all hammers are created equal. Different designs work well for different jobs. Here are the best hammers you can buy.
If you find yourself teetering on top of a chair as you reach for a burned-out light bulb, you need to get a ladder. If it's time to paint a room with a ceiling much taller than seven feet, it's ladder time. If there are trees to prune, strands of lights to hang, or gutters to be cleaned, then a good ladder is a great idea. These are the best you can buy.
Every home needs a basic tool kit equipped with a hammer, a screwdriver, pliers, a tape measurer, and some other commonly used tools. With a good set of tools, you can repair a crooked cabinet, hang a shelf or picture frame, tune up your bicycle, or fix a leaky pipe under the sink. These are the best basic tool kits you can buy.
What it is:Hulu bills the 15-part series as an "unprecedented cinematic event" and a "love letter" to the history of film. In short, it is required viewing for any movie lover.
What it is:"Free Solo" follows famous climber Alex Honnold as he tries to scale the 3,200-foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without a rope. It won the Oscar for best documentary in 2019.
What it is: The documentary details three men realizing they are triplets at age 19. They were separated at birth and adopted to different parents. Their 1980 reunion brings them fame but also "unearths a disturbing secret."
What it is: "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" is a widely beloved documentary that follows the life of a Michelin-starred sushi chef, Jiro Ono, as he considers his legacy.
What it is: "Dirty Money" is a two-season documentary series with six episodes per season. It "exposes brazen acts of corporate greed and corruption" in the US, according to Netflix.
What it is: The documentary follows Hatidze Muratova, a woman living in "near isolation" and "making a living cultivating honey using ancient beekeeping traditions." It was nominated for an Oscar for best documentary and best international feature film in 2019.
A proposed measure would require San Francisco to procure and rent empty hotel rooms to house its entire homeless population during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
If it passes, then homeless residents would have space to shelter in place alongside much of the rest of the city.
San Francisco's travel and tourism industries have been slammed, and turning to the city's unoccupied hotel rooms has been in talks as a solution to housing the homeless community amid the outbreak.
There were an estimated 30,000 empty hotel rooms in late March.
A 2019 count placed the estimated number of people living homeless on the streets of San Francisco at 8,011.
There are more empty hotel rooms in San Francisco than there are homeless people.
That's a significant fact as the coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19, has gripped the tourist destination city and spread throughout the US.
Much of the city has been directed to shelter in place in their homes and stay there as much as possible. By doing that, and only leaving for essential needs — like for groceries, medicine, or for a quick break for fresh air — the city's estimated 881,000 residents are helping in flattening the curve in the fight against the respiratory illness, or helping to slow its spread so that healthcare workers have time to prepare.
But the city's — and region's — homeless population was exempt from the order, with those living on the streets instructed to sit tight until officials could come up with ways to house and protect them. That order was announced on March 16, and on the same day, a homeless person in Santa Clara County, in the heart of Silicon Valley, was reported to have died of the coronavirus disease.
There were roughly 8,000 people living on the streets in San Francisco at the time of the last estimate in 2019. There are currently 30,000 empty hotel rooms in the city.
Here's how the city wants to use those rooms.
In the weeks following, San Francisco city officials have considered using shut-down schools, churches, the Moscone Center, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium to house its homeless community.
Some of those plans didn't involve housing those on the streets, such as for the city's mega-conference hall, Moscone Center. The purpose of using those facilities was to help space out shelter beds in existing shelters so that the homeless could have more room to social distance from one another.
Another idea that has been percolating since the order went into effect was to turn the city's hotels into makeshift shelters.
Even before the order was announced, travel and tourism in San Francisco had dropped off considerably, with layoffs in the hotel industry ensuing and tens of thousands of hotel rooms sitting empty.
According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, there were an estimated 30,600 empty hotel rooms in San Francisco as of March 23. A Curbed SF report places that number as high as 33,000.
City leaders, as well as officials across the state of California, have been pushing forward with securing rooms to house those who are homeless as well as the estimated 19,000 living in congregate settings in San Francisco such as SRO hotels, where residents share bathrooms and other common spaces.
And the hotels, struggling from a lack of guests during the outbreak, jumped at the opportunity to house some residents.
There were initially 31 hotels offering up a collective 8,310 rooms for a discounted rate following the ask from City Hall, as the San Francisco Chronicle reports. These hotels, including some of the city's ritziest, such as The Palace Hotel, were interested in filling rooms with residents of SRO hotels and other such facilities.
But some officials advocated filling those rooms with those living on the streets, an idea that still isn't in motion yet.
However, progress has been made to start identifying rooms for homeless people in San Francisco who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who have been tested and are waiting for results to return. The most vulnerable within the homeless community, people over the age of 60 with underlying health issues, also qualify to be housed in a hotel room designated for this purpose.
But some officials and homeless advocates argue that the thousands of empty hotel rooms in the city should be used to house the entire homeless population in the city as a preventative measure, regardless of the need for self-isolation.
And so on Tuesday, an emergency ordinance was introduced by five members of the city's Board of Supervisors that would require San Francisco to procure and rent 7,000 hotel rooms, plus 1,250 for first responders and healthcare workers who need to self-isolate.
The estimated cost of renting 7,000 hotel rooms for 90 days sits at $105 million.
If this ordinance passes, those living on the streets would have space to shelter-in-place just as much of the rest of the city has been doing.
Housing members of the homeless community could also prevent an outbreak among its members. If the virus were to spread in the community, the healthcare system could be overwhelmed, hindering the city's long-time goal of "flattening the curve" amid the pandemic.
The city, and the rest of the Bay Area that also took early social distancing measures, is being lauded across the US for its proactivity. Some health experts think the shelter-in-place order is already paying off, with case counts lower than elsewhere in the country. However, they're still rising, and officials stress the importance of continuing with taking social distancing precautions.
Turning to the thousands of empty hotel rooms in the city to house the homeless community could contribute to social distancing efforts. And seeing as how nonessential travel is discouraged and that the city likely won't be welcoming its typical volume of visitors for a while, hotels could stay afloat by helping the city do so.
Events are being canceled and postponed worldwide to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which emerged in Wuhan, China, late last year and was labeled a pandemic by WHO in March.
Countries across the world are enacting lockdown restrictions: Italy placed a 6 p.m. curfew on its citizens and banned all nonessential activities, France is prohibiting people from leaving their homes unless absolutely necessary, and President Trump is encouraging Americans to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo are delayed to 2021, and the Cannes Film Festival and the 74th Annual Tony Awards are being postponed from their original dates in May and June, respectively.
South by Southwest, the annual media festival in Austin, Texas, was canceled March 6 because of the outbreak, and Coachella was postponed to the weekends of October 9 and October 16.
Many other noteworthy events, from conferences to festivals to sporting events, have been canceled or postponed because of the coronavirus, including Facebook's annual F8 conference and the World Athletics Indoor Championships.
Here's a round-up of major events that have been canceled or postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak so far.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
The Burning Man festival will not take place in-person in Nevada. Instead, Burning Man Project CEO Marian Goodell said it will be held virtually in 2020, the logistics of which are still to be determined.
The 74th Annual Tony Awards, scheduled to be aired on June 7th on CBS from Radio City Music Hall in New York, are being postponed to "a later date" that organizers say will be announced once Broadway reopens, potentially in mid April.
The Cannes International Film Festival has been postponed from its original dates of May 12-23. Organizers are discussing rescheduling the festival to June or July.
The iHeartRadio Music Awards, slated to take place on March 29 in Los Angeles, has been indefinitely postponed, and ticket holders are being issued refunds.
Glastonbury 2020, scheduled to take place in June, was also canceled. Organizers said that already purchased tickets will roll over to the 2021 festival.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has banned gatherings of more than 500 people in New York. This affects Broadway shows, which will remain suspended through at least April 12.
The New York City's annual St. Patrick's Day parade scheduled for March 17 was canceled, and the organizers indicated they hope to celebrate the parade at a later date.
The remainder of the NBA season was suspended after a player on the Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus. A second teammate later also tested positive.
Tomorrowland Winter 2020 in Alpe d'Huez was canceled. They are offering full refunds to those who had tickets, as well as discounts on future festivals.
Adobe canceled its annual live summit because of growing concerns about the coronavirus. Instead, the entire event will take place online.
Source: Adobe
TED 2020 was originally supposed to held in Vancouver on April 20-24 but was postponed to July 20-26. The organizers said they might decide to hold the conference virtually.
Several major corporate conferences have been canceled or postponed because of the outbreak, including F8, Facebook's annual conference for developers. F8 is Facebook's biggest event of the year, and it's set to be replaced with local events and livestreamed content.
The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, which is the biggest smartphone conference of the year, was canceled after major companies including LG, Amazon, Sony, Ericsson, Facebook, Nvidia, MediaTek, Sprint, and Vivo pulled out of the event because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Game Developers Conference in San Fransisco was canceled because of the outbreak after major companies like Sony and Microsoft pulled out of the event.
Semi, which is a global organization that includes companies that are vendors of semiconductor production systems and materials, canceled its Semicon conventions in Korea and China over concerns about the coronavirus.
We watched the case counts rise in China. Healthcare workers shared harrowing accounts from the frontlines as China panic-built hospitals in a matter of days.
Doctors weren't sure how to treat this new coronavirus, and the Chinese government eventually locked down an estimated 50 million people to contain the disease.
But it took some world leaders months to take the threat seriously.
As death toll creeps higher every day, over one-third of the world has now been placed under lockdown, and countries are scrambling to halt the spread of COVID-19.
Here are eight world leaders who didn't take the novel coronavirus seriously at first, possibly putting their countries at greater risk for infection during crucial early moments.
Chinese authorities downplayed the threat of the outbreak when it first began in December, failing to communicate crucial information, and allowing millions of people to travel throughout the world.
On December 31, the government released a statement to the World Health Organization saying the diseases was "preventable and controllable."
By late January, Chinese authorities identified the illness to be a new strain of coronavirus and acknowledged that it could spread from human-to-human contact. But the government allowed millions of people to travel before initiating lockdowns.
As the outbreak worsened, the government was accused of suppressing healthcare workers who warned of the virus's spread, and downplaying reports on the number of reported cases and deaths.
The US Intelligence Committee has reportedly determined that President Xi Jinping and his Communist Party spread misinformation and lied about the severity of the outbreak. As of Friday, China has reported more than 82,000 infections and at least 3,340 deaths, but many believe the real number is far higher.
After reporting little to no new infections over the last couple weeks, China has lifted the lockdown on the city of Wuhan.
Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte downplayed the coronavirus infections in February, and the country's foreign minister accused the media of inflating information about the spread of the illness.
Italy has become the third-most infected country and the epicenter of the deadliest outbreak in the world, with more than 18,800 deaths as of April 10.
Though Italy has initiated one of the most sweeping nationwide lockdowns to date, mixed messaging in late February when cases began to rise led to a slowed government response.
On February 23, Prime Minister Conte downplayed the spread of the virus by attributing a rise in numbers to an increase in testing. A few days later, Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio accused the media of inflating the severity of the virus by stating that only "0.089%" of Italians was under quarantine and calling the news coverage an "infodemic."
At that point in the outbreak, social distancing measures were initiated on a local basis. Even the mayor of Milan — a city only miles from the center of the outbreak in Lombardy — promoted the idea that people could still go out with a "Milan doesn't stop" campaign. Tourist attractions and cathedrals were kept open, and people didn't hesitate to leave their homes. According to The New York Times, at least 2,300 deaths occurred during the mixed messages early on.
But as cases continued to surge, the government took a far more serious approach, implementing a nationwide lockdown and warning that the rest of the world needs "to be ready."
President Donald Trump has repeatedly downplayed the virus, calling it a "hoax" early on and claiming to have everything completely under control.
At a campaign rally in late February, Trump referred to the coronavirus as a "new hoax" formed by the Democratic Party, and in early March, he minimized its threat by comparing it to the seasonal flu.
The US is now the global epicenter of the outbreak, with more than 486,000 confirmed cases and at least 18,000 deaths as of Friday. Many attribute the surge in cases to a lack of federal guidance and blunders from the Trump administration's coronavirus task force early on.
In the first few weeks of the outbreak, the US experienced a severe lack in testing, mixed messaging with social distancing protocols, and confusion over when the nation would return to normalcy.
The country still doesn't have a nationwide lockdown — each state has set its own guidelines and eight states have yet to issue stay-at-home orders. With the existing orders, about 95% of America's population, or about 306 million people, are now under some form of lockdown.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the UK government believed the coronavirus was a "moderate risk" up until late February, and were late to impose a national lockdown.
Johnson has received scrutiny for downplaying the coronavirus outbreak in its early months, by labeling the threat "moderate" and seeking to attempt a "herd immunity" strategy, rather than implementing containment measures.
In mid-March, as bars and restaurants began to shutter across Europe, Johnson merely urged, rather than ordered, people to avoid dining out, causing flocks of people to gather across London.
The UK has also been slow to administer tests, issuing about 10,000 a day by late March. As of Friday, the UK has the eighth-highest number of cases, with more than 74,000 infections and at least 8,900 deaths.
Iranian officials confidently told the country that the virus would not be a problem, and have been accused of withholding crucial information.
In late February, Iranian officials boasted that the coronavirus problem devastating China would not happen to them, and even bragged about sending face masks to aid China.
But just two weeks later, Iran found itself among the top infected countries in the world. In early March, the government began scrambling to contain the outbreak by proposing sending the military to conduct door-to-door sanitation, and threatening the death penalty on any individual accused of hoarding masks or medical supplies.
Authorities began worrying about the spread of information, and attempted to control the narrative of the outbreak by threatening nurses and healthcare workers to stay silent.
According to The New York Times, one nurse described receiving a letter that said discussing information about infected patients would cause "public fear mongering," and constitute as a threat to national security.
A severe lack of testing in Iran has raised doubt as to how many cases the country actually has. Johns Hopkins' tally records the number of infections has exceeded 68,000, with at least 4,200 deaths as of Friday.
As COVIS-19 cases soared, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez allowed large gatherings to proceed in sports stadiums and rallies.
In early March, as cases of the coronavirus began to rise in Spain, Sánchez continued to allow people to congregate in massive crowds at sports games and permitted 120,000 to gather at a feminist rally in Madrid.
In the beginning of the outbreak, the government perceived the coronavirus as an isolated threat, dismissing notions that it could soon become a domestic crisis, Vox reported.
Sánchez did not initiate a nationwide lockdown until March 14, which many viewed as too late. In defense, he cited the failures of other nations to quell the outbreak and noted that Spain declared a lockdown at a time when it had fewer infections than when Italy, Britain, or France declared theirs.
Spain is now the second most infected nation in the world, with more than 157,000 cases and at least 15,900 deaths as of April 10.
Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has blatantly ignored warnings over the coronavirus and has encouraged Mexicans not to succumb to "fear or psychosis."
López Obrador has proudly stood against coronavirus warnings throughout the outbreak by telling Mexicans not to succumb to "fear or psychosis," and accusing the media of exaggerating the threat.
In late March, he downplayed the virus by refusing to restrict travel and ignoring recommendations to avoid close contact and touching people. During that time the president was seen kissing children, touching supporters, and refusing to use anti-bacterial gel, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Despite warnings from healthcare workers, López Obrador has insisted that Mexico has a sufficient supply of medical supplies and hospital beds. But according to a recent report, Mexico has fewer nurses and ICU beds per capita than Italy, South Korea, and the US, making it highly vulnerable for a devastating outbreak.
Starting on April 1, Mexico declared a health emergency, closing down all nonessential businesses and recreational areas for 30 days, but many fear the response has come too late.
"His irresponsibility is almost criminal," Mexican political analyst Jesús Silva-Herzog Márquez wrote in an op-ed, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly downplayed the coronavirus by calling it "a measly cold" and questioning the merits of social distancing measures that scientists have found successfully limit the spread of the virus.
In late March, Bolsonaro blatantly ignored his health ministries by visiting one of the busiest commercial districts in Brazil and encouraging Brazilians to get back to work.
He has been quoted saying that "some will die" from the virus but that "such is life." His recent comments questioning the effectiveness of social distancing were deleted across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, for violating public health guidelines.
The president has repeatedly dismissed quarantine guidelines and has maintained that the economic toll to contain the virus cannot be worse than the spread of illness itself.
Despite Bolsonaro's reluctance to halt the virus, governors across the country have implemented their own measures, urging Brazilians to stay indoors and effectively ignore the president.
As of April 10, Brazil has recorded more than 19,000 cases and at least 1,000 deaths.
Analysts expect that with that influx of fresh cash, Oracle could be gearing up for a big acquisition as the coronavirus crisis drives down market caps.
It's known for making bold M&A moves after a downturn, like when it scooped up PeopleSoft, Sun Microsystems, and NetSuite.
Business Insider talked to analysts about which companies Oracle could be planning to acquire. See the list of seven companies below.
Oracle just raised $20 billion in corporate debt, setting off speculation the tech giant may be mulling a big purchase as the coronavirus crisis drives down market caps.
"We believe the company could be preparing to make a significant acquisition given the likelihood that COVID-19 continues to pressure valuations in enterprise software," RBC Capital Markets analysts wrote in a recent note to investors.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise: cloud and data center hardware and software
Market cap: $13 billion
Oracle reportedly considered buying Hewlett-Packard a decade ago when the company was worth about $50 billion. HP has since split — dividing into HP Inc and Hewlett Packard Enterprise in 2015 — and Oracle would likely be interested in the latter, which now has a much lower market cap.
Robert Siegel, a management lecturer at Stanford University and a veteran Silicon Valley venture capitalist, said buying HPE would give Oracle a bigger customer base and strengthen its consulting services.
"That could lead both to revenue growth and also cost synergies with other parts of Oracle," he told Business Insider.
Workday: human resources management software in the cloud
Market cap: $33 billion
Workday would be a long shot for Oracle thanks to its hefty market cap and the fact that its founder and chairman, David Duffield, likely wouldn't be on board. He previously founded PeopleSoft, the company Oracle gobbled up in a bitter hostile takeover fight in 2005.
But, still, the human resources management company would no doubt strengthen Oracle's position in that critical market.
Siegel, the Stanford lecturer, said Oracle making a bid for Workday "would not surprise me." But he acknowledged that Oracle may have a hard time convincing Workday to sell, given their shared history.
"I think a move like that would probably be more aggressive and hostile than friendly," Siegel said.
Oracle could acquire human resources software company Ceridian to expand its human capital management business, RBC analysts said. They noted that Ceridian has strong products and a strong growth profile.
Anaplan: business planning software in the cloud
Market cap: $4.57 billion.
Anaplan "would make a great portfolio addition" for Oracle, given Oracle's existing "planning products and large installed base of planning customers," RBC analysts said.
PROS: price optimization and revenue management software
Market cap: $1.25 billion
Oracle could be looking to make a vertical-focused acquisition, RBC analyst said, such as acquiring pricing software company PROS.
PROS has a large portfolio of industry-specific products and RBC notes that Oracle has targeted similarly structured companies in past acquisitions.
Paycom: cloud payroll and human resources software
Market cap: $1.25 billion
Like several other businesses on this list, payroll and HR tech company Paycom could help Oracle expand its human capital management business.
"We would not be surprised if Oracle took another look at the Payroll software category to level-up their existing portfolio, particularly during this period of significant disruption," RBC analysts said.
Domo: business analytics software
Market cap: $304 million
Since Utah-based cloud analytics software company Dome held its initial public offering two years ago, it's become a strong player in the analytics arena and is seen as a competitor to Tableau, the data visualization company now owned by Salesforce.
Valoir analyst Rebecca Wettemann said buying Domo would boost Oracle's cloud analytics offerings.
Analysts at Credit Suisse have their eye on discounted, cash-heavy, and well-positioned financial stocks that look poised to recover nicely from the coronavirus-induced rout.
Their predictions are best-suited for longer-term investors, as the macroeconomic environment and ability to control the coronavirus remains largely uncertain in the short term.
The team provided 11 high-quality stock picks that should prosper once the overarching environment becomes less ambiguous.
Since late February, market denizens have been clinging to every economic, political, and anecdotal development that stems from the coronavirus.
Now with volatility on the loose, the Federal Reserve pumping trillions of dollars in stimulus packages into the economy, unemployment skyrocketing, and an uptick in coronavirus cases and deaths, Credit Suisse's US financial-services team is trying to cut through the noise.
"The banks are prepared," Susan Katzke, a managing director at Credit Suisse, said. "At present, I would say that the banks look to be well prepared to manage through, but you do have to consider Jamie Dimon's extremely adverse scenario detailed in his shareholder letter on Monday."
It's important to note that though Katzke and the team at Credit Suisse are expecting greener pastures in the years to come, they aren't expecting a sharp earnings turnaround in the short term. Their calls are catered toward a longer-term investment horizon, as the timetable for a tangible recovery from the coronavirus remains nebulous at best.
But as that uncertainty gets baked into forecasts, and earnings estimates and guidance start to come down, the team is keeping a keen eye on the stocks that should benefit most when the dust eventually settles.
"The viral and macro path are key here," she said. "With respect to the stocks, yes, they all look very cheap — but in our view, valuation matters less until there's a very clear macro-path."
Without further ado, listed below in alphabetical order are the 11 companies that made the final roster. All quotes on why you should invest in these companies are attributable to Credit Suisse analysts.
Reason for purchase: "The only other time Apollo has got to this level was in 2016 — and if you bought it near the lows in 2016, the stock was almost a four-bagger, and paid you back a 50% dividend on your purchase price.
"Apollo is our favorite over 12-months just to the deep disconnect on valuation."
Reason for purchase: "Broker A. J. Gallagher is also a stock we like. While it will be negatively impacted as top-line takes a hit due to less insurance demand, it has no balance sheet investment loss risk."
Reason for purchase:"If you're buying until that [macro] path is clear we'd stick with the highest quality and best risk managers, putting JPMorgan and Bank of America first."
Reason for purchase: "Synchrony and Discover are our favorites among the card lenders. The stocks have been hit pretty hard; they've rebounded partially — they're still down pretty sharply from where they were before which I think reflects, hopefully, an exaggerated view of the consumer downturn."
Reason for purchase: "Last week, we upgraded Equitable on its $2.5 billion (roughly) of excess capital and roughly $3 billion of liquidity, and a solid hedging program and continued repurchases as the stock just trades at about 3.1 on next year's EPS estimate."
Reason for purchase: "If you're buying until that [macro] path is clear we'd stick with the highest quality and best risk managers, putting JPMorgan and Bank of America first."
Reason for purchase: "We think New Residential — despite some of the challenges they still have in their large MSR position — trading below half of book offers attractive risk-reward."
Reason for purchase: "If we do go through a prolonged economic downturn, consumers will likely shop around more and gravitate to the low-cost providers in the industry."
Reason for purchase: "Synchrony and Discover are our favorites among the card lenders. The stocks have been hit pretty hard; they've rebounded partially — they're still down pretty sharply from where they were before which I think reflects, hopefully, an exaggerated view of the consumer downturn."
Reason for purchase: "In our recent capital and sensitivity report, we cited the best places to absorb market pressures is those with lower capital-intensive businesses and strong excess capital, and that includes Voya.
"In our Voya note last week, we highlighted it's substantial excess capital, the likely third-quarter life-company divestiture, and the continuation of a one-plus billion dollar share repurchase program."
As the novel coronavirus sweeps the globe, it will fall on a cadre of elite lawyers at the nation's top law firms to help guide companies through an unprecedented hit to revenue.
As the novel coronavirus sweeps the globe, it will fall on a cadre of elite attorneys at the nation's top law firms to help guide companies through an unprecedented hit to revenue.
Restructuring and bankruptcy lawyers are working around-the-clock to field calls from clients about loan covenants, payment obligations to creditors, and — in some instances — the prospect of filing for bankruptcy.
Outside of these attorneys being the go-to advisers to help corporate executives through this turmoil, they represent a bright spot in an otherwise grim picture of their profession, with law firms cutting jobs andcancelling summer associate classes as clients push back on fees in other areas of legal work.
"Clients are now in cash-flow crunch and are pushing back on paying invoices until Q3," Heidi Gardner, a lecturer at Harvard Law School and adviser to law firms, said. But she said, "I don't think they are cutting legal spend in areas that are mission-critical."
Business Insider identified 10 restructuring and bankruptcy lawyers to keep tabs on as the business landscape shifts dramatically in 2020, based on talks with attorneys, consultants, and recruiters, along with a review of some of the largest bankruptcies over the past decade.
These lawyers have played leading roles in the Detroit bankruptcy, Toys R Us, and Lehman Brothers.
For matters that wind up in Chapter 11 court proceedings, the fees they charge are lucrative. The federal government has called on firms to provide more transparency into their billing practices.
Weil Gotshal, for instance, earned as much as $399 million for its work handling the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, while Detroit's bankruptcy cost the city $178 million in fees and expenses for teams of lawyers and consultants, with Jones Day as the top billed.
We don't yet know what kinds of profits the coronavirus will heap on firms like Jones Day in the coming years, but we do know restructuring is already becoming a busy field and the coronavirus has yet to reach its peak in the US.
"The number of new distressed matters rivals 2008," Rachel Strickland, the cochair of the restructuring practice at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, said. "The onset of new matters due to COVID-19 has been much, much faster."
Susheel Kirpalani, the head of Quinn Emanuel's bankruptcy practice, said a wave of bankruptcies and restructurings would hit a variety of sectors, including all consumer-facing sectors with high fixed costs.
"I don't think it will be focused on any particular industry," he said. "It will be the weakest in every industry."
Here to sort it all out are the 10 lawyers who sources told us would be at the center of the action going forward, and a sampling of some of their most high-profile past work. Representations listed include both creditors and debtors as clients.
If you have a tip about a restructuring matter or how coronavirus is affecting business, we want to hear from you. Contact this reporter at csullivan@businessinsider.com, DM on Twitter @caseyreports, or Signal message at 646 376 6017.
Time was when many vehicles offered a manual option, either because customers wanted performance, or because they wanted better fuel-economy — or because they just wanted a cheap option.
While one can still find manual transmissions on vehicles in Europe and South America, automatics are the rule in the US.
Even some performance cars have dropped the manual options, most notably Ferrari. Most people no longer learn to drive on a stick-shift, and for the most part, automatics yield good fuel economy and can be had on inexpensive cars.
So the stick-shift is dying out. But one can still find it on a decent number of cars.
Here's a rundown of some of my favorites, ranked from most satisfying to least:
But its six-speed has a learning curve. The clutch is so firm and edgy that it's quite easy to stall the car, until you get a feel for it. On the plus side, shifts are incredibly brisk.
7. The Civic Type R is in theory a similar kind of affordable track-rat mobile, but ...
Problem is, one could slip from 4th gear to 7th when trying to get to 5th (there was no lockout). I got the hang of it after a while, but it was annoying.
9. The Nissan 370Z Nismo Tech. I love this V6 dinosaur, and for $46,000, what's not to love?
It had a six-speed manual, but it could have been five. It was like managing a farming vehicle. But that's a testament to the Tacoma's legendary ruggedness.
Many Easter and Passover celebrations this year have gone online, as the coronavirus pandemic circles the globe.
Some churches are offering drive-thru and drive-in services, to keep parishioners apart.
Because the novel coronavirus is spread mainly through respiratory droplets exchanged from person to person, keeping people away from one another, and avoiding mass gatherings altogether, is one of the most fail-safe ways to help stop the spread of this virus.
Churches around the globe will be largely empty this Easter Sunday, as religious leaders encourage their worshipers to celebrate the holiday from their homes this year, to avoid spreading the novel coronavirus around.
At the Vatican, Pope Francis is planning to do Easter morning mass to an empty St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday.
"This year, Easter will be different for many of us,"Queen Elizabeth said in a recording shared by the royal family on Saturday. "But by keeping apart, we keep others safe."
People of the Jewish faith have likewise been taking their Passover celebrations online this week, hosting virtual Seders, and bringing their laptop screens to the table, instead of inviting relatives over to sit down in person.
Here's how people around the globe are celebrating two major religious holidays this spring, while keeping their distance from one another:
Normally, the Way of the Cross procession in Rome on Good Friday attracts quite a crowd.
But this year, as Italians hunkered down in their homes to contain the spread of COVID-19, the streets of the Italian capital were remarkably quiet.
There was no public participation allowed as Pope Francis led his Way of the Cross procession on Good Friday at the Vatican.
The quieter-than-usual celebration fell in line with new guidance issued from the World Health Organization earlier this week, encouraging religious leaders to take more faith meetings online.
"If a gathering is planned, consider holding it outdoors," the WHO said.
"Maintain at least 3 feet of distance between people at all times," the agency said.
Polish priests moved their confessions outside too on Good Friday, and wore masks while listening to their parishioners.
Easter food is also being blessed from a distance in Poland this year.
In the coastal southern town of Taranto, Italy, one priest took his Good Friday procession to the roof, so church neighbors could participate at a safe distance, from their balconies and windows.
The streets of Sevilla, Spain, normally crowded with some of the most ornate 'Semana Santa' processions and floats, are eerily quiet this year.
In the United States, more than 2,000 people died from the coronavirus on Friday.
Because the coronavirus is spread easily between people who sit, talk, eat, and sing together for sustained periods of time, churches across the country are shuttering.
Harvest Baptist Church of Harrison, Pennsylvania took its congregation to a drive-thru, so people wouldn't have to sit next to one another in church, and spread germs.
Of course, people who live in the same household can still share space, but the idea is to avoid coming in contact with others outside the home, who may easily spread their virus around by talking, breathing, spitting, coughing, or singing.
The Mexican government is encouraging Mexicans living abroad in the US not to travel home to visit family this Easter.
The Mexican Foreign Ministry said any Mexicans living in the US who may typically come back to the country for Easter celebrations should put that annual tradition on hold this year.
Easter egg hunts and egg rolls around the country in the US are being replaced with more time at home.
"The health and safety of all Americans must be the first priority, especially right now," First Lady Melania Trump said, cancelling the 2020 White House Easter Egg Roll. "I deeply regret this cancellation, but we need to make difficult decisions in the short-term to ensure a healthy country for the long-term."
A lot of churches are planning to live-stream their Sunday services this week, but there are still at least a few pastors in the US planning to hold in-person services this Easter, despite evidence that more people could die that way.
Reverent Tony Spell in Baton Rouge, Louisiana said he expects 2,000 people to attend his Easter service this Sunday, despite a statewide stay-at-home order in his state.
Major COVID-19 outbreaks in Kentucky, South Korea, Illinois, and Washington have all been traced back to church gatherings.
At least six people are now dead after contracting COVID-19 at church in Kentucky, and two more were killed in Washington.
Because the novel coronavirus is spread mainly through sustained, close contact between individuals, the most effective way to stop the spread of COVID-19 in a community is to keep people apart, for now anyway.
Those who do venture in to churches around the world to pray right now are often asked to keep a safe distance from others.
Jews also began a week of Passover celebrations on Wednesday, and many of them were virtual.
Some recited the Haggadah text, which guides the Seder meal, on screens this year, instead of face to face.
"It was clunky and emotional," David Oliver wrote of his own Seder, celebrated via Zoom webconference.
"When you bring together 11 different households and 25 people onto a Zoom call (several of whom were in their late 80s), it doesn't go swimmingly," Oliver shared in USA Today.
Still, he classified the meal as a "success."
"We made it through the retelling all in one piece, we ate foods like Matzah (unleavened bread) and dipped parsley into salt water (to represent the bitterness the Jews faced) and my roommates and I drank too much wine," he said. "We smiled and laughed, cried and loved."
Italians hoping to celebrate their 'Pasqua' with lamb and other traditional Easter foods waited in long lines for groceries Saturday, and had their temperatures checked before shopping.
"The virus is not on holiday," French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said on Thursday evening, urging French citizens not to partake in any of their usual Easter vacations.
The majority of Americans believe the novel coronavirus has affected their lives in some way.
The Pew Research Center released a report based on a survey of more than 11,500 Americans about the ways their life has changed as a result of the pandemic.
There are big divides along education and income levels.
61% of postgraduate Americans believe their life has changed in a "major way" because of coronavirus, while only 35% of Americans whose highest education is high school or less believe their life has changed in a major way.
More-educated and higher-income Americans are also much more likely to report that they had worked from home as a result of the crisis.
But there are surprising class divides in the way Americans have viewed those impacts on their lives. A recent survey suggests the more educated a person is or the more income a person has, the more likely they are to report their life and work have changed in a big way because of the coronavirus.
A new poll conducted by Pew Research Center surveyed 11,537 US adults from March 19-24 about how their daily living habits have changed because of the coronavirus. The survey was weighted to represent the US adult population according to Pew's methods.
According to the study, almost 9 in 10 Americans believe their life has changed because of the coronavirus. 44% of Americans said their lives have changed in a "major way", another 44% reported that life has changed a little, and only 12% said their lives stayed about the same.
But higher-income and more-educated Americans were more likely to say that their lives have changed in a major way. Similarly, higher-income and more-educated Americans were more likely to report they have worked from home because of the pandemic.
Here are four charts using results from the Pew Research Center's survey based on income level and educational attainment that show the divide:
The majority of Americans with postgraduate and bachelor's degrees believe their life has changed in a major way due to the coronavirus.
According to the survey results from Pew Research Center, more than 4 in 10 Americans say their lives have majorly changed.
Just how much life has changed differs by an American's level of education.
61% of US adults with postgraduate degrees think their life has changed in a major way, with only 5% believing their life has stayed the same. In contrast, only 35% of US adults who have earned a high school diploma or less education believe their life majorly changed, with 16% believing their life has not changed at all.
How likely someone is to say life has changed because of the coronavirus also varies by income level.
Another interesting take away from the survey is that the share of US adults who reported their lives have been affected in a major way from the pandemic varies by a person's income level.
According to Pew's methods, income is based on 2018 earning figures where "middle income is defined here as two-thirds to double the median annual income for all panelists. Lower income falls below that range; upper income falls above it." Panelists are the people who took part in the survey.
Among lower-income Americans, 39% report their life has changed in a major way, while 54% of upper-income Americans believe their life has changed in a major way.
The difference in the number of Americans across the income levels who say their lives have changed in a major way was not as large as the difference between the varying levels of educational attainment.
There is a stark difference between the share of Americans who have reported working from home based on their education.
According to historians and futurists interviewed by Business Insider, one way the coronavirus could change American life once the pandemic is over is more Americans working permanently from home.
David S. Jones, a professor of the culture of medicine at Harvard University, told Business Insider that working from home is an issue for those who are not as fortunate to be in an occupation that allows remote work.
"The benefits of privilege are excruciatingly clear to me at the moment, " he said in the article.
According to Pew's survey, the majority of Americans who have postgraduate and bachelor's degrees have worked from home in response to the coronavirus. However, only 22% of Americans whose highest education is a high school diploma or less education reported working from home in response to the pandemic. This is nearly one-third of those with postgraduate degrees, at 73%.
Some professions where it's easier to work at home have higher typical education requirements than those that don't, potentially contributing to the disparity in the chart above.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, some jobs that typically require master's or doctoral degrees include postsecondary teachers, scientists, lawyers, and jobs in the medical field. As colleges and universities close as a precaution during the pandemic, professors are still able to teach lectures remotely.
Jobs that typically require just a high school diploma, or that have no particular educational requirements, include managers, first-line supervisors, cooks, food preparation workers, personal care aides, janitors, salespersons, and cashiers. Some of these jobs are on the frontlines of the coronavirus, such as occupations typically found in grocery stores.
The share of lower-income Americans who have worked from home in response to the coronavirus is only about half of the share of upper-income Americans.
Similarly to educational attainment, there is a large difference between the shares of upper-income and lower-income US adults who worked from home because of the coronavirus.
61%, of upper-income Americans reported worked from home compared to 27% of lower-income Americans during the outbreak.
Aside from medical professionals treating patients, many jobs on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic typically earn below-average incomes and do not have the opportunity to do their work at home. This includes cashiers, public transportation workers, and janitors.
According to Time, the pandemic is impacting a lot of low-income workers who can't work remotely during the pandemic because they have to continue to come into work and potentially risk their own health.
Dubai has implemented a strict coronavirus lockdown system in which people have to apply to go outside, regardless of the reason.
The Emirati city has forbidden outdoor exercise, and people need police permission to buy groceries or medicine, go to the doctor, or even leave home even if it's an emergency.
The application form needs people to fill out details like their address, ID number, nationality, phone number, and means of transport. Residents are only given a set window of time that you can be outside for.
The system can handle more than 1,000 requests per minute, but still sees delays because so many people are applying.
Business Insider obtained screenshots of the application system from a Dubai resident. Scroll down to see them.
Dubai is making residents apply for a police permit every time they want to leave the house during the coronavirus pandemic, even if it's to buy groceries or go to the doctor.
It also requires people to fill in details like their nationality, job, phone number, ID number, and car license plate number if they are driving.
Applicants also have to state the specific location they want to visit, and outline the times they expect to leave and return home.
The system then texts people shortly afterwards to say whether their application was successful, and gives them a specific time slot in which they are allowed to move around.
Dubai, which has already banned outdoor exercise, is the only city in the United Arab Emirates operating this system. The UAE has more than 2,600 confirmed cases and 12 deaths so far.
Business Insider spoke to Dubai residents and obtained screenshots of the application process. Take a look.
The permit is issued by Dubai's government and police, and a new one is needed for every trip outdoors at any time during the day. People can apply for the permit for either work or personal reasons.
The director of Dubai Police's traffic department said the application website can handle 1,200 requests per minute, but still sees delays because of the amount of people trying to apply.
According to Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Director of the Traffic Department at Dubai Police, "the move permit site can deal with 1,200 permit requests per minute."
But he said on April 8: "Sometimes issuing the permit is delayed because of online traffic," according to Gulf News.
You then have to fill in personal details, including your ID number and nationality. You have to state when you expect to leave home and when you will return, as well as how you plan on traveling.
The city is strictly enforcing its rules. Business Insider spoke to one person in Dubai who was able to secure a one-hour slot to buy groceries, but was then not allowed into the shop because she did not have gloves, which are a requirement in the city.
She was ultimately able to shop after the store provided her with some.
This is what the system shows people after they have submitted their application: Exactly where they want to go and when.
Business Insider has blocked out the source's personal details.
The system then texts the applicant, first to confirm receipt of the form, then to say if the application has been approved. This screenshot shows both.
The source who sent this photo said their application process was relatively quick, though it's not clear how long any delays can be.
Boeing recently secured a $1.5 billion order from the US Navy for additional P-8 Poseidon aerial patrol aircraft.
First delivered to the Navy in 2012, the P-8 is a multi-role aircraft based on the Boeing 737 passenger jet capable of surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.
Its onboard armament can include torpedoes, harpoons, and cruise missiles allowing it to engage in warfare when required.
Boeing just landed a massive $1.5 billion order for 18 aircraft from the US Navy for an aerial patrol plane capable of sinking ships, the P-8 Poseidon.
Though it performs and functions more like a naval ship than a commercial jet, Boeing's P-8 Poseidon is actually the military variant of the manufacturer's popular 737-800 Next Generation aircraft.
Instead of flying passengers or cargo, a task routinely performed by the civilian 737, the P-8 has warfighting capabilities through its deployable onboard armament of weapons that can sink ships and submarines, in addition to its advanced onboard surveillance set up to track maritime and ground-based activity.
Currently in use, the P-8 much like its 737 counterpart has seen international success with naval military forces in Australia, Norway, India, the United Kingdom.
Eight aircraft will go to the US Navy with the remaining aircraft split with the South Korean Navy and New Zealand Royal Air Force receiving six and four, respectively. The two countries purchased Boeing's submarine hunter through the Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales program.
With the order valued at $1.5 billion, the unit price for each aircraft is approximately $83 million.
Take a look at Boeing's airliner turned advanced warfighter.
While the Boeing 737 airframe dates back to the 1960s, the P-8 is a more recent innovation first conceived of in the 2000s with the US Navy giving Boeing the contract to develop a new naval patrol aircraft.
The new aircraft to be produced by Boeing would replace the turboprop-powered P-3C Orion, a similar patrol aircraft with an airframe dating back to the 1950s.
The build for the P-8 Poseidon would be based on a tried and true aircraft, the Boeing 737.
The US Navy already had experience with the 737, using it for VIP, troop, and cargo transport as the C-40, making the Poseidon a logical choice to replace the P-3C.
Unlike the C-40, however, the P-8 was designed to be a true warfighter that could not only provide intelligence on and surveil the enemy but attack if required.
The list of missions the P-8 is capable of varies from engaging anti-submarine warfare to conducting aerial surveillance missions, making it one of the few converted passenger jet airliners capable of firing military weapons.
Despite all the extra equipment on board, the P-8 is 60% identical to the 737 but it's the 40% difference that puts the Poseidon in a class of its own.
The jet-powered P-8 provided advancements from the P-3C in range, payload carrying capability, speed, and technology, providing the Navy with its newest airborne weapon.
Inside the plane, the cockpit is the same as a traditional Boeing 737, though with a few optional extras including a fighter-jet style heads-up display.
Instead of rows of passenger seats in the back, the P-8 features monitors and screens for the flight crew to engage in surveillance, intelligence gathering, or search and rescue, depending on the mission.
Here's a naval crew member using the plane's onboard cameras to monitor Chinese activities in the South China Sea, a geopolitical hotspot where territorial disputes are rife among the region's nations.
The South China Sea has become a popular area of operation for the P-8, which the Navy uses to keep an eye on Chinese activity. The Chinese fired a laser at one of the planes in January though no crew were injured.
Aiding in its surveillance and anti-submarine warfare mission is 129 sonobuoys that are kept on the aircraft using for tracking ships and submersible vehicles.
The harmless devices are dropped from the fuselage and provide sonar data back to the aircraft via radio frequencies in the same way a patrol ship would to find enemy submarines lurking in the depths below.
For all the sophisticated surveillance featured on the Poseidon, the aircraft also allows for the use of the most rudimentary form of equipment, the human eye.
Two large windows are built into the fuselage on each side of the aircraft to allow for manual searching whether it be surveillance or search and rescue efforts.
With the US not currently fighting a war at sea, the aircraft is mostly used for its surveillance and intelligence gathering capabilities, aiding search and rescue operations during recent high-profile disappearances at sea.
Two P-8s aided in the search for the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 aircraft operating as flight MH370 which remains missing to this day...
And two P-8s were also deployed to Argentina when one of the nation's submarines, the ARA San Juan, went missing while on patrol. The patrol ships were unable to find the sunken submarine.
The advantage of the Poseidon is its armament, with the aircraft capable of carrying torpedoes, cruise missiles, and harpoons capable of hitting maritime and ground-based targets.
During its tenure for the US Navy and foreign militaries, the P-8 Poseidon has proved to be just as valuable as the ships on the sea, a veritable flying patrol boat.
Some coronavirus patients and the doctors treating them have reported a "second-week crash" in which patients believe they're recovering but then feel much worse.
Second-week crash symptoms include shortness of breath and aches, according to those who have experienced them firsthand.
These anecdotal reports illustrate that symptoms vary from person to person. One relatively common experience is a second-week crash, where patients felt like they were on the mend, and then in the second week of their illness, their symptoms ramped up and become worse than before.
Health experts are unsure why only a subset of the population has this second-week crash, which often results in a high fever, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue.
Below, four coronavirus patients and two doctors detail what a second-week crash can feel like.
Aria Bendix, a 27-year-old science journalist, developed excruciating rib-cage pain as she entered her second week of coronavirus symptoms.
Bendix said she initially just had body aches, but 24 hours later she also started to have chills.
"It felt as if I had run a marathon, then been hit by a car. I decided to self-isolate inside my apartment," Bendix wrote.
A few days passed, and Bendix said her aches started to dissipate. She assumed she was on the road to recovery. But then the rib-cage pain started.
"There was a pressure, too — as if someone were squeezing my lungs like an accordion. My breathing felt heavy," Bendix wrote.
After a trip to the emergency room, doctors said they were unable to test Bendix, but that her symptoms signaled she had COVID-19.
Back at home, Bendix said she had a week of sleepless nights and days when breathing was difficult. It wasn't until that week was over that she started to feel normal again.
"That was about the same time I developed a sore throat. For roughly 24 hours, I struggled to swallow food or liquid," Bendix wrote. "By day 14 of my symptoms — the day I was supposed to no longer be contagious — the aches returned. I felt as if I was back to square one, but at least I could breathe."
On April 5, the day Bendix published her essay, she said she started to finally feel more like herself but still had lingering symptoms like a sore throat and fatigue.
Rosemary O'Hara, an editor at the South Florida Sun Sentinel, said she felt like she needed an oxygen mask during her second week of symptoms.
In her March 17 essay in the South Florida Sun Sentinel, O'Hara said that a day after beginning to feel ill, she developed a fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
"At the urgent care center, the doctor diagnosed pneumonia," O'Hara said. She was given antibiotics and after taking them for 10 days, began to feel better.
But then she felt worse.
"Until now, the only time I ever remember paying such close attention to my breathing was when I tried meditation and yoga," O'Hara said. "But one night this past week, my breathing was so labored, it was all I could hear. I felt like I needed an oxygen mask."
O'Hara said she was able to get a test two weeks into feeling ill, and days later it came back negative. But O'Hara was skeptical of that result because it could've meant she didn't have a detectable amount of the virus in her system, she wrote.
"The doctor told me that it's impossible to know if I had the virus because an antibody test is not yet available, so we'll never know for sure," O'Hara wrote, adding that she believes she was one of Florida's first coronavirus patients.
O'Hara didn't share how she's been faring since her emergency room appointment and COVID-19 test experience.
Susan Kane said it was shocking to watch her husband's dry cough transform into serious illness in a matter of days.
Kane, a resident of Snohomish County, Washington, told CBS News that her 55-year-old husband Chris was a non-smoker with no underlying conditions, so it was surprising to see his health deteriorate.
"It started off as just a little bit of a dry cough. He didn't have any other symptoms but this crazy cough," Kane said, but a few days later, "it ramped up, and then it was coughing and choking and just gasping for air."
A week following these symptoms, Chris was finally diagnosed with COVID-19 and given oxygen to help him breathe. Now, Chris is fully recovered.
John Craven, a 41-year-old political reporter, said that based on his experience, the coronavirus 'tricks you' into feeling better and then symptoms like fever and dizziness come back.
Craven, who lives and works in New York City, told the Hartford Courant that his coronavirus symptoms began as body aches, dizziness, and shortness of breath for five days.
On the fifth day, Craven said he began to feel better and even did a home workout, but just a few hours later he felt just as sick as he had the days prior.
"It's unpredictable," Craven said of his experience.
His second-week crash symptoms included a fever and dizziness.
"It tricks you," Craven said. "You think you're free, then it comes back."
Craven said he was unable to get tested but believes he had COVID-19.
As of April 2, over two weeks after Craven first felt ill, he said finally started to feel better.
Michelle Gong, the director of critical-care research at Montefiore Medical Center in New York CIty, said that respiratory failure tends to kick in 7 days after symptoms start.
During a Q&A with the Journal of the American Medical Association, Gong said that COVID-19 patients often seem to be "doing OK, and then at around the five- to seven-day mark they start to get worse and then develop respiratory failure."
Respiratory failure occurs when the coronavirus attacks your lung's cells and linings and makes oxygen flow throughout the body difficult or impossible. As a result, people in respiratory failure need ventilators to assist their breathing.
Gong added that this shift to more severe symptoms can be "abrupt."
Dr. Christopher Ohl, an infectious disease expert in North Carolina, said he's noticed a rapid decline in health for many patients.
"They say, 'Hey, you know, I think I'm getting over this,' and then within 20 to 24 hours, they've got fevers, severe fatigue, worsening cough and shortness of breath. Then they get hospitalized," Ohl told CBS News of the second-week crash phenomenon.
Apple's Face ID doesn't work when your face is obstructed, making it difficult to quickly unlock your iPhone while wearing a protective face mask.
There is no easy, convenient way to get around this, but one trick discovered by the Tencent Security Xuanwu Lab worked for me, but only under specific circumstances.
A more practical solution may be adjusting your notifications settings so that you can view incoming alerts without unlocking your iPhone.
If you're an iPhone owner, you've probably recently dealt with the inconvenience of having to type in a passcode to unlock your iPhone.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended wearing face coverings in public places where standing six feet apart from others may be difficult — like the grocery store, for instance.
That means you probably won't be able to unlock your iPhone using Face ID, Apple's facial recognition system, while running errands. It's not by any means the most important coronavirus concern right now, but it can be a minor annoyance.
That may be especially true for those looking to reduce the number of times they touch their phone's screen while out in public to avoid the spread of germs.
If you're hoping to find a way around this, I have some good news and some bad news.
First, the bad: There doesn't seem to be any easy, foolproof way to get Face ID to work while wearing a mask.
That's because Face ID creates a depth map by projecting and analyzing more than 30,000 invisible dots over your face, so it's looking for areas like your nose and mouth every time it attempts to unlock your phone. Even if you try wearing a mask during the setup process, your iPhone will notice if your face is partially obstructed and will urge you to remove any coverings before proceeding.
Now the good news: I did manage to find one approach that worked for me. It's based on a tutorial from the Tencent Security Xuanwu Lab, first discovered by Abacus News, a tech site specializing in coverage of Chinese gadgets. That method involves re-enrolling your face with Face ID while holding your mask over half of your face.
But even so, it only works under very specific circumstances, and I had to try enrolling my face a few times before I managed to get it working. It's also worth noting that others have tried this method and found itunsuccessful.
The effectiveness may also vary depending on the type of mask you're wearing. For this test, I wore a homemade mask that covers the bottom portion of my face — from the tip of my nose and below — that I created using a folded bandana and two hair ties.
Here's a look at how I got Face ID to work for me while wearing a mask.
Open your iPhone's Settings menu, scroll down to Face ID & Passcode, and enter your passcode when prompted.
Then, press the "Reset Face ID" button.
Then, take your face mask and fold it in half. Hold it up so that it covers one side of your face, as shown below.
When holding the mask over one side of your face, make sure it's positioned on that half of your face as it would when you're wearing the mask fully.
Now it's time to re-enroll in Face ID while covering half of your face with your mask.
Open your iPhone's settings menu, type in your passcode, and press "Set Up Face ID."
You may also want to try turning off the "Require Attention for Face ID" option. I found that this improved my chances of getting Face ID to work while wearing my mask.
Keep in mind, though, that disabling this setting will make Face ID slightly less secure, as it removes the layer of authentication that requires your eyes to be open and looking at the screen to unlock your phone. I'd recommend turning this back on when you're no longer wearing your mask.
Follow the on-screen prompts to register your face with Face ID.
Make sure your nose and mouth are visible on the uncovered portion of your face. My iPhone told me that my face was obstructed a couple of times during the setup process, but I was eventually able to complete my Face ID scan.
Then, put on your mask fully and try unlocking your iPhone.
This is where things get a little tricky. I was able to unlock my iPhone on several occasions while wearing my face mask, but only when I held my phone at the angle shown above.
As you can see in the above image, my iPhone still unlocked even though I was wearing a mask that covered the lower portion of my face.
But adjusting your notifications settings may be a more reliable and practical alternative.
While the previously mentioned method worked for me on several occasions, that may not be the case for everyone. And even if it does work, you may not have the time or patience to position your face deliberately while at the grocery store or pharmacy.
Instead, you can try adjusting your notification settings to make sure incoming texts and other alerts are fully visible from the lock screen. This will prevent you from having to unlock your phone to read important notifications.
To get started, open your iPhone's Settings menu and press Notifications.
Select "Show Previews," and choose "Always." This will ensure that notification previews will always be shown on the lock screen, whether your phone is locked or unlocked.
You can always change this again later if you want to maintain more privacy.
Then, go back to the main Settings menu and choose Face ID & Passcode.
After you enter your passcode, scroll down to the option called "Attention Awareness Features." You can turn this option off to prompt your iPhone to expand notifications on the lock screen even when your phone is locked.
This could make it easier to see incoming alerts at a glance while you're out without having to unlock your phone or touch its screen.
Again, if you're concerned about privacy, you can always turn this setting back on later.
April 12: Boris Johnson has been discharged from St. Thomas Hospital in London to continue his recovery from the coronavirus at his Chequers country estate.
Johnson won't immediately return to work on the advice of his doctors.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will continue to deputise for him.
The UK reported 737 new coronavirus deaths on Saturday, taking the death toll to over 10,000.
The UK government will decide next week whether or not to extend its coronavirus lockdown by at least another three weeks.
Johnson's government is under growing pressure to provide more safety equipment to NHS staff.
April 12: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been discharged from London's St Thomas Hospital as he continues his recovery from the coronavirus.
"The PM has been discharged from hospital to continue his recovery, at Chequers," a Downing Street spokesperson said on Sunday.
"On the advice of his medical team, the PM will not be immediately returning to work.
"He wishes to thank everybody at St Thomas' for the brilliant care he has received."
Johnson spent a week in the hospital after his coronavirus symptoms worsened at the end of last week.
He spent three nights in intensive care as his condition deteriorated, but was moved back to his ward on Thursday, April 9 after responding positively to treatment.
Meanwhile, the UK's coronavirus death toll surpassed 1,000 on Sunday following the announcement of a further 737 deaths linked to the virus. 10,612 people in the UK have died after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus.
Sir Jeremy Farrar, who is advising the government on its response to the crisis, on Sunday warned that the UK could Europe's worst affected country by the pandemic.
"I do hope that we are coming close to the number of new infections reducing and, in a week or two, the number of people needing hospital reducing, and the number of deaths starting to come down," he told the BBC.
"But numbers in the UK have continued to go up. And yes, the UK is likely to be certainly one of the worst, if not the worst affected, country in Europe."
Read on for the latest updates on how the virus is spreading across Britain.
Kieran Corcoran, Alison Millington, Rachel Hosie, Lindsay Dodgson, and Rob Price contributed reporting to this post.
The UK's coronavirus death toll has surpassed 10,000
The UK's coronavirus death toll surpassed 1,000 on Sunday, April 12 following the Department of Health & Social Care's announcement of a further 737 deaths linked to the virus.
10,612 people in the UK have died after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus.
282,374 people in the UK have been tested, of which 84,279 tested positive.
Johnson has been released from hospital
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been discharged from London's St Thomas Hospital as he continues to make progress in his recovery from the coronavirus.
"The PM has been discharged from hospital to continue his recovery, at Chequers," a Downing Street spokesperson said on Sunday, April 12.
"On the advice of his medical team, the PM will not be immediately returning to work.
"He wishes to thank everybody at St Thomas' for the brilliant care he has received."
Johnson spent a week in the hospital, including three nights in its intensive care unit.
The UK could end up being Europe's 'worst affected country'
Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust medical research charity, on Sunday, April 12 told the BBC's Andrew Marr that while he was hopeful the UK was close to passing the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, the country could end up being the worst affected European country.
"I do hope that we are coming close to the number of new infections reducing and, in a week or two, the number of people needing hospital reducing, and the number of deaths starting to come down.
"But numbers in the UK have continued to go up. And yes, the UK is likely to be certainly one of the worst, if not the worst affected, country in Europe," he told the BBC.
Farrar is one of several medical experts advising the UK government on how to fight the coronavirus. Here's the full story.
Johnson is 'continuing his recovery which is at an early stage'
Boris Johnson is continuing to recover from the coronavirus and is in "very good spirits" in St Thomas' hospital, his spokesperson told journalists on Friday, April 10.
"The PM is back on a ward and continuing his recovery which is at an early stage. He continues to be in very good spirits," the spokesperson said.
They added that Johnson is "enormously grateful for the care he is receiving from NHS staff" and the prime minister was "waving his thanks" to the nurses and doctors he saw as he was being moved from the hospital's intensive care unit to the his ward.
Here's what else Johnson's spokesperson said:
The condition of Dominic Cummings, Johnson's chief adviser, is unchanged. He is self-isolating at home but "in contact with Number 10" after developing coronavirus symptoms a week-and-a-half ago.
UK shops "are free to sell whatever they have in stock, providing it's legal," the PM's spokesperson said. They sought to clarify that Brits are allowed to buy whatever they want from supermarkets and shops after a police chief in Northamptonshire threatened to start checking for "unnecessary" items in shopping trolleys.
The UK government is "working closely with universities to understand the financial risk and implications they may face at uncertain times." This follows reports that universities have warned of a financial black hole worth hundreds of millions pounds as a result of the COVID-19 virus. Johnson's spokesperson did not commit the government to giving universities further financial assistance.
The UK foreign office (FCO) "has been working hard to bring British nationals back from countries around the world," Johnson's spokesperson said, adding it has "reached agreement with airlines to work together to bring people home and that work is ongoing." The FCO is accused of being too slow to bring home Brits stranded abroad after on Friday it said it had arranged for 12 flights to bring home over 3,000 people who are stuck in India.
Boris Johnson leaves intensive care, remains in hospital.
Boris Johnson has left intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms continued to improve, though he remains in hospital.
A spokesperson for the British Prime Minister said on Thursday evening that Johnson was being transferred back to the hospital ward and is in "extremely good spirits."
"The Prime Minister has been moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward, where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery.'He is in extremely good spirits," they said.
The UK's coronavirus curve appeared to be flattening as of Thursday.
April 9: There are signs that the spread of the coronavirus in the UK is starting to slow, according to Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief science advisor.
Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street alongside Dominic Raab, who is standing in for Boris Johnson as the prime minister receives intensive care treatment, Vallance said there appeared to be "some flattening" of the increase in new UK cases, which would otherwise be rising exponentially had lockdown measures not been implemented.
"The numbers go up and down a bit, but what you can see is it's not taking off in that sharp uptake, it's not gone sky high, and if anything there might even be some flattening," Vallance said.
It means the social distancing measures introduced by Boris Johnson nearly three weeks ago are starting to work, he said.
"That is because of what we're all doing with social distancing. If we had not done that, those cases would now be very much higher."
The comments came after ministers met to discuss the potential extension of national lockdown measures next week.
Raab said the decision would formally be taken "at the end of next week."
The prime minister's official spokesman indicated earlier on Thursday that the measures would likely be extended.
"We need to keep bearing down on the rate of transmission, which will mean continuing with social distancing measures," the spokesman said on Thursday afternoon.
Johnson's spokesperson plays down reports of strict new social distancing rules
Boris Johnson's spokesperson has played down suggestions that the UK government was planning to introduce stricter social distancing rules to coincide with the Easter weekend.
Senior figures in the UK police have reportedly urged the government to consider tougher action to stop people driving long distances and restrict people to one exercise a day.
However, Johnson's spokesperson today (April 9) stressed that the focus was on enforcing the current social distancing rules.
"We've always said that if the scientific advice suggests further steps are needed, we'd be prepared to take them but for now our focus is on ensuring the steps we already have in place are properly enforced," they said.
"The focus for now is on continuing to ensure people stick by the measure we put in place.
"The public response has been brilliant.
"People have made very big sacrifices in terms of the way people live their lives."
Johnson had a 'good night and continues to improve'
Boris Johnson's condition continues to improve after he was moved into intensive care, his spokesperson said on Thursday, April 9.
His spokesperson today told journalists: "The PM had a good night and continues to improve in intensive care at St Thomas's Hospital. He is in good spirits."
Johnson spent a third night in intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms worsened on Monday.
Here's what else Johnson's spokesperson said:
Dominic Cummings, Johnson's chief adviser, is still self-isolating at home after developing COVID-19 sym toms 10 days ago.
They poured cold water on suggestions that the government was about to introduce stricter social distancing measures for Easter weekend. "The focus for now is on continuing to ensure people stick by the measure we put in place," Johnson's spokesperson said. "The public response has been brilliant. People have made very big sacrifices in terms of the way people live their lives."
First Secretary of State Dominic Raab will take part in the Clap for Carers tonight while Johnson is in hospital. "On behalf of the PM, the PM thanks the NHS for the brilliant care which it is providing. The Clap for Carers has provided wonderful, unifying moments for the entire country," the prime minister's spokesperson said.
14,682 tests were carried out in Great Britain on Tuesday, including 2,268 NHS staff. Johnson's spokesperson said 100,000 tests a day by the end of April "very firmly remains" the government's target.
Boris Johnson 'doing reasonably well' after a third night in intensive care.
April 9: Boris Johnson is "doing reasonably well" after a third night in intensive care, the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Thursday morning.
It follows a statement on Wednesday evening from the Prime Minister's spokesperson and St Thomas' Hospital which said that: "The Prime Minister continues to make steady progress. He remains in intensive care."
The Chancellor Rishi Sunak told a press briefing on Wednesday that "his condition has been improving" and he has been "sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team."
Johnson, 55, was moved to intensive care on Monday evening after his condition worsened.
The prime minister could remain in hospital for weeks to come however, with the Times reporting on Wednesday that "Senior figures in No 10 accept that the prime minister will need a period of recuperation after recovery; one week for every day spent in intensive care is the rule of thumb."
Boris Johnson's condition 'has been improving'
Prime Minister Boris Johnson "remains in intensive care where his condition has been improving," UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said.
Sunak on Wednesday afternoon (April 8) said Johnson had been "sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team" at London's St Thomas hospital, where he has been in intensive care receiving treatment for the coronavirus since Monday, April 6.
Sunak said there will be a Cobra meeting of senior ministers to review the lockdown measures next week.
Rishi Sunak announces £750 million support package for charities impacted by the coronavirus
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has today (April 8) announced a financial package for charities impacted by the coronavirus worth £750 million.
Speaking at the government's daily press conference, Sunak said government departments would directly allocate £360 million to charities providing key services during the coronavirus crisis, like those supporting the elderly and vulnerable.
Small-to-medium sized charities providing help and services at a local level will also get £370 million, funded partly by a grant through the National Lottery Community Fund.
Speaking about the financial package, Sunak said: "Our charities are playing a crucial role in the national fight against coronavirus, supporting those who are most in need.
"It's right we do everything we can to help the sector during this difficult time, which is why we have announced this unprecedented £750 million package of extra funding.
"This will ensure our key charities can continue to deliver the services that millions of people up and down the country rely on."
A further 938 people in the UK have died after testing positive for the coronavirus
A further 938 people in hospitals across the UK have died over the last 24 hours after catching the coronavirus, the Department of Health & Social Care announced on Wednesday April 8.
This is the biggest daily increase in deaths linked to the coronavirus so far in the UK's crisis.
It brings the UK's total death count to 7,097 minus today's update from Northern Ireland.
A total of 232,708 people in the UK have been tested for the coronavirus, of which 60,733 tested positive.
Boris Johnson is 'stable and responding to treatment'
Boris Johnson remains stable and is responding to treatment for his coronavirus symptoms, his spokesperson says.
The prime minister's spokesperson today (April 8) told journalists that Johnson was receiving "standard oxygen treatment" in intensive care at London's St Thomas' hospital.
"The prime minister remains clinically stable and is responding to treatment. He continues to be cared for in the intensive care unit at St Thomas's hospital, and he is in good spirits," they said.
They added: "The PM is receiving standard oxygen treatment and breathing without any other assistance."
Johnson was moved to the hospital's intensive care unit on Monday after his symptoms worsened. He was first admitted to the hospital on Sunday after spending over a week in self-isolation.
Here's what else Johnson's spokesperson said:
The UK government has ordered ventilators from the US, as revealed by President Trump on Tuesday. "We have been working rapidly to secure additional ventilator capacity through established UK suppliers and overseas. The NHS has ventilator orders in place with manufacturers around the world, which includes those in the US," they said. Trump said the UK had asked the US for 200 medical ventilators.
The UK government will announce its decision on whether the coronavirus lockdown will be reviewed on or around Easter Monday (April 13.) "We said we would make further announcement in three weeks and there's no change to that," they said.
"It's too early to say when the peak is going to be" in the UK.
Dominic Cumming, Johnson's chief adviser, is "in contact" with Downing Street but still self-isolating at home after developing symptoms of the COVID-19 virus.
The UK now has 13 operational drive-thru testing sites.
More than 20,000 NHS staff and their family members have been tested for the coronavirus.
Boris Johnson spent a second night in intensive care.
Boris Johnson has spent a second night in intensive care and remains stable, according to the UK Health Minister.
Edward Argar told the BBC on Wednesday that "the Prime Minister remains stable and has not needed mechanical ventilation overnight."
A spokesman for Johnson said on Tuesday evening: "The Prime Minister's condition is stable and he remains in intensive care for close monitoring. He is in good spirits."
Dominic Raab says he is "confident" Boris Johnson will pull through
April 7: The UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for Boris Johnson while he is in hospital, said he is "confident" that the prime minister will recover, calling him a fighter.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1247561405089406976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw "He's not just our boss, he's also a colleague and he's also our friend."
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says he's "confident that [Boris Johnson] will pull through, because if there's one thing I know about this Prime Minister, he's a fighter". pic.twitter.com/oizkH2Os9I
The coronavirus curve in the UK may be flattening
April 7: The UK may be flattening the curve of the coronavirus pandemic in the UK, according to the Chief Scientific Officer Patrick Vallance.
Showing a series of graphs, Vallance told the daily Downing Street press conference that there appeared to be a plateau in new cases and that there did not appear to be a rapid acceleration in new hospitalisations.
"It's possible to say that we might be seeing a flattening off," Vallance said.
He added that "things might be moving in the right direction."
The Queen sends a message of support to Carrie Symonds
Queen Elizabeth has sent a message of support to Boris Johnson's fiance Carrie Symonds and his family.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1247517690899484673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Earlier today The Queen sent a message to Carrie Symonds and to the Johnson family. Her Majesty said they were in her thoughts and that she wished the Prime Minister a full and speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/Mo1SgAd9wh
The UK rejects Trump's offer to help with Boris Johnson's coronavirus treatment
The UK has today (Tuesday April 7) rejected an offer from President Trump to help with his coronavirus treatment.
Trump on Monday, April 6 Trump said his administration had contacted "all of Johnson's doctors" and told them that he had asked two unnamed pharmaceutical companies to offer the prime minister support.
"We're confident the prime minister is receiving the best possible care from the National Health Service," the prime minister's spokesman told reporters.
"Any treatment he receives is a matter for his doctors."
Boris Johnson is in a 'stable' condition and is not on a ventilator
April 7: Boris Johnson is in a "stable" condition, "in good spirits" and is breathing without mechanical assistance, his spokesman said on Tuesday afternoon.
Johnson was admitted to hospital on Sunday with "persistent" symptoms of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.
His spokesman said on Tuesday (April 7) that while he was receiving oxygen treatment, he did not currently require mechanical assistance with his breathing through a ventilator.
"He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and breathing without any other assistance," his spokesman said.
He added that "non-invasive respiratory support has not been required."
April 7: The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, is self-isolating for the coronavirus, after a family member experienced symptoms of the virus, according to ITV.
Gove, who did this morning's broadcast rounds on behalf of the government, is not experiencing any symptoms himself.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1247460997255835651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw NEW: Have just had it confirmed that Michael Gove is self-isolating.
A member of his family is displaying symptoms, but he remains well himself.
Gove continues to work, as per his round of interviews this morning. But yet another challenge for this government to work around.
Boris Johnson has spent the night in an intensive care unit
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has spent the night in an intensive care unit after his condition badly deteriorated on Monday.
Johnson, who was admitted to hospital on Sunday with "persistent" symptoms of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, was moved into intensive care at around 7 p.m. GMT on Monday.
He has been given oxygen treatment but has not yet been placed on a ventilator, Downing Street indicated on Tuesday morning.
The UK can have a 'serious discussion' about ending the lockdown once the peak of the coronavirus is over
The UK can have a "serious discussion" about ending the coronavirus lockdown only once the government is confident that the country is over the peak of the pandemic, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty says.
Speaking at the government's daily press conference on Monday, April 6, Whitty said that Boris Johnson's government would be able to consider relaxing social distancing rules once it has sufficient evidence to conclude that the UK was over the peak of the virus.
However, while the government believes the peak might be this weekend, "we do not know for certain that the peak will be at the end of this week."
In the same press conference, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is standing in for Johnson while he is in hospital, revealed that he hadn't spoken to the prime minister since Saturday, despite chairing government meetings in his absence.
The millions of antibody tests which the UK government has ordered do not work
None of the antibody tests which the UK government has ordered for testing the coronavirus currently work, Professor John Bell, a professor of medicine at Oxford University tasked with assessing the effectiveness of various antibody tests, has warned.
Bell said the tests the government have looked at so far do not work and that a large-scale solution would take "at least a month" to develop.
Boris Johnson is in 'good spirits' and receiving his ministerial documents in his hospital bed
Boris Johnson spent Sunday night in hospital and is still there under observation, his spokesperson told journalists on Monday, April 6.
The prime minister is in "good spirits" and still in charge of the UK government, despite being admitted to St Thomas' hospital, London for tests on Sunday evening, his spokesperson said today.
"Any information the prime minister needs to be updated on or any decisions that require action from the PM, that is what will happen. He is receiving updates in hospital and continuing to receive a [ministerial] box," Johnson's spokespersons said.
His spokesperson today said: "The prime minister had a comfortable night in St Thomas's hospital and is in good spirits. He remains in hospital under observation."
Here's what else Johnson's spokesperson said:
Johnson was not taken to hospital by ambulance on Sunday evening. "He went via private transportation," his spokesperson told journalists.
Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State Dominic Raab chaired Monday morning's "War Cabinet" in Johnson's absence.
Dominic Cummings, the prime minister's chief adviser, is still self-isolating after developing COVID-19 symptoms.
On Sunday, over 15,000 tests were carried out on 12,334 individuals. Some people had to be tested more than once. In addition to this, 1,000 NHS staff and their families were tested at a drive-thru site.
A Russia Today report that said Johnson was put on a ventilator was fake news. "That is disinformation," the prime minister's spokesperson said. "Our specialist government units have seen a rise in false reports since the coronavirus outbreak started. it's vital that any information is knocked down quickly."
"There are no current plans to ban exercise," according to Johnson's spokesperson. "Exercise is vital for protecting health and wellbeing, and that is why it was included in the list of exceptional reasons why people can leave their homes." This comes after UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock over the weekend suggested that the government might introduce stricter lockdown rules to clamp down on people socialising in parks.
A "huge amount of work going into" finding an exit strategy.
The UK currently has 10,000 mechanical ventilators, with another 1,000 on order. The government also has thousands of provisional orders of ventilators, designed by external companies, which are being tested.
What happens if Boris Johnson becomes too ill to govern?
April 6: The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told the BBC on Monday that Johnson was "still very much in charge of the government," despite reportedly receiving oxygen treatment in hospital for what Downing Street described as "persistent symptoms of coronavirus," including a high temperature.
However, if Johnson's condition does not quickly improve then Johnson will be under growing pressure to step aside and allow his de facto deputy Dominic Raab to take over while he recovers.
The Foreign Office Minister James Duddridge called on Johnson to "rest, look after yourself and let the others do the heavy lift."
If Johnson does have to step aside, the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will deputise for him as his designated survivor.
Boris Johnson admitted to hospital for 'as long as necessary'
Boris Johnson will remain in hospital "as long as necessary" after being admitted on Sunday, April 5, after experiencing "persistent symptoms of coronavirus."
Johnson tested positive for the coronavirus 11 days ago but continued to work in isolation, with Downing Street insisting he only had "mild symptoms" of the virus.
However, aides had reportedly become "increasingly worried" about the prime minister's health in recent days according to multiple reports.
The Times of London reported that Johnson has received oxygen treatment while in hospital.
The UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is his "designated survivor" will deputise for him at an emergency UK government coronavirus meeting on Monday, April 6
The Queen tells UK 'we will meet again' after coronavirus pandemic
The Queen addressed the nation on Sunday, April 5, in a special televised statement about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking from her Windsor Castle residence, she said: "While we have faced challenges before, this one is different."
"This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed - and that success will belong to every one of us.
"We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again."
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1246907416194711557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw "We will succeed and that success will belong to every one of us"
The Queen delivers a rallying message to the UK in its fight against coronavirus, thanking healthcare workers as well as people for staying at home and following government ruleshttps://t.co/Ku4DOhcotYpic.twitter.com/wdBsaFQjeQ
People may be banned from exercising outside if they continue to ignore social distancing rules
April 5: Health secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC's Andrew Marr that exercise outside of the home could be banned if people don't stop gathering in outdoor areas during the lockdown.
"If you don't want us to have to take the step to ban exercise of all forms outside of your own home, then you've got to follow the rules," he said. "Let's not have a minority spoil it for everybody."
He also said sunbathing is explicitly against the rules, and that "the more people stay at home the less the virus will spread."
New Labour leader Keir Starmer says there have been "serious mistakes" in tackling the coronavirus in the UK
The new Labour leader Keir Starmer wrote about the ongoing coronarvirus crisis in an article for The Sunday Times. He said "serious mistakes" have been made in the nation's response to the pandemic.
"The public is placing an enormous trust in the government at the moment: it is vital that that trust is met with openness and transparency about those mistakes and the decisions that have been made," he wrote.
He said the focus will be on finding out why the UK is "so far behind on testing," and calling for a comprehensive vaccine programme.
"There will be many more difficult days ahead," he said. "Great sacrifices must be made because of a crisis that was unimaginable only a few months ago. But Britain is a great country and we will get through this."
Boris Johnson's partner is also self-isolating
Carrie Symonds, is also self-isolating after experiencing "the main symptoms" of the coronavirus.
"I've spent the past week in bed with the main symptoms of Coronavirus,"she tweeted on April 4. "I haven't needed to be tested and, after seven days of rest, I feel stronger and I'm on the mend."
She followed this up with a message to other fellow women who are expecting babies and shared a link to the latest guidelines from the The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
"Being pregnant with Covid-19 is obviously worrying," she said. "To other pregnant women, please do read and follow the most up to date guidance which I found to be [very] reassuring."
New Labour leader Keir Starmer promises to work with the government on its coronavirus response
April 4: Keir Starmer has been elected as the new leader of the Labour party, replacing Jeremy Corbyn.
"Our mission has to be to restore trust in our party as a force for good and a force for change," he said in a statement.
Starmer's comments followed an earlier call by Prime Minister Boris Johnson for opposition parties to meet him to discuss their response.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1246358936585986048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw I have written to all leaders of opposition parties to invite them to work together at this moment of national emergency. pic.twitter.com/HgEsMo3DO2
G7 nations are failing to find a working coronavirus antibody test
The world's leading industrial nations have so far failed to identify any coronavirus antibody tests that will be accurate enough for home use, according to the UK's Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
The UK and other nations are currently examining plans to use antibody tests to allow individuals with immunity to COVID-19 to exit their national lockdowns early through the use of a so-called "immunity passport."
However, Hancock told a press conference on Friday that G7 leaders had discussed on Friday the search for an effective antibody test and revealed that none had yet been identified which would be suitable for mass use.
"On the G7 call earlier it was clear that no G7 country has found a home antibody test that works," he said.
"But we continue to search for one [and] we are putting the orders in so should they work we can get them in the UK."
The Premier League has decided to donate £20 to the NHS to help the health service fight the coronavirus.
The UK's highest football league today (April 3) said in a statement:
"The League, clubs, players and managers express huge appreciation for the heroic efforts of NHS staff and all other key workers who are carrying out critical jobs in such difficult circumstances.
"In consultation with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Premier League is immediately committing £20 million to support the NHS, communities, families and vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This includes a direct financial contribution to the NHS and funds to enable clubs to refocus their efforts and develop significant outreach programmes to help communities, including those most in need.
"This funding will enable both immediate and longer-term support during the crisis."
Boris Johnson still has a coronavirus temperature so will remain in self-isolation
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is staying in self-isolation as he still has symptoms of the coronavirus, he said on Friday, April 3.
In a video posted on social media, Johnson said he still had a temperature so would remain inside his Downing Street residence.
His spokesperson told journalists that the prime minister would remain in isolation beyond the government's official guidance to remain in isolation for 7 days after experiencing symptoms.
"The advice is very clear. You should stay at home for 7 days but longer if you have a temperature," the spokesperson said.
In a video posted on social media, Johnson also urged British people to stay indoors this weekend and resist the temptation to go outdoors for the warm weather predicted for the UK.
"Please, please stick with the guidance now," the prime minister said.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1246042407973662721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Another quick update from me on our campaign against #coronavirus.
The prime minister is urging the British public to resist the temptation to leave the house this weekend if, as expected, the weather is warm. "Don't do it. We have asked people to make significant sacrifices so far… if you go outside and ignore that advice you are putting lives at risk," Johnson's spokesperson said.
The UK government does not yet have an antibody test which is accurate enough to roll out to the general public. "Work is going on all the time to find a test that works… but until we have full satisfaction that it is reliable we won't be able to roll it out to the public," they said.
Matt Hancock's announcement on Thursday (April 2) that the government aims to carry out 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month is a UK-wide goal.
Scientists advising the UK government believe community transmission of the coronavirus could have dropped to below 1 as a result of social distancing.
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock will deliver the government's daily press conference. He'll speak alongside John Newton, the government's testing czar, and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Jonathan Van-Tam.
The government reportedly thinks the peak number of coronavirus deaths could be on Easter Sunday
Government officials planning the UK's response to the coronavirus believe the peak number of deaths could be in less than two weeks on Easter Sunday (April 12), according to The Telegraph.
The newspaper reports today (April 3) that Johnson's government has a target of keeping the number of UK deaths below 20,000, with 50,000 regarded as the worst-case scenario.
The Health Secretary said on Friday that it was "perfectly possible" that the peak would take place by Easter Sunday with thousands of daily deaths taking place in the run-up to that date.
The UK government is coming under more pressure to protect workers excluded by its job retention scheme
The UK government is coming under yet more pressure to change its Job Retention Scheme so that it no longer excludes workers who started their jobs after February 28.
Under the scheme, bosses who are struggling to pay staff due to the impact of the coronavirus can furlough them, meaning the government will pay 80% of their salaries during the crisis. However, the cut-off point for staff protected by the scheme is the last day of February, meaning workers who joined the payroll after that date will miss out on this financial support.
Ed Davey, the acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, has today (April 3) written to UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak, urging him to allow workers who started their jobs after that date to be furloughed as long as they can provide three pieces of evidence to support their employment.
Davey says evidence can include job advertisements and applications, emails, and employment contracts, among other things.
He said: "The fact new employees can't access the furlough scheme means they have quite simply been left to hang out to dry. Businesses may have spent thousands of pounds trying to find talented staff they now cannot keep.
"People up and down the country are now seeing their dream job turn into a nightmare through no fault of their own: it isn't fair. We have provided a workable way forward which we hope Ministers will now take."
UK promises 100,000 coronavirus tests a day by the end of the month
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday (April 2) responded to growing criticism of the rate of coronavirus testing in the UK by promising that the government would manage to increase testing by over ten times in England by the end of April.
"The new national effort for testing will ensure that we can get tests for everyone who needs them," Hancock said at the daily Downing Street conference.
"And I'm delighted that the pharmaceutical industry is rising to this challenge and putting unprecedented resources into testing. Taken together, I am now setting the goal of 100,000 tests per day by the end of this month. That is the goal, and I am determined that we will get there."
Hancock, who has been in isolation for the past week since testing positive for COVID-19, confirmed that the increase would include both the testing of new infections as well as antibody testing to determine whether individuals had gained immunity to the virus.
The UK will write off billions of pounds of NHS debt
The UK government will write off £13.4 billion of historic National Health Service debt, Matt Hancock has announced, in a significant intervention which he said was designed to "help NHS trusts deliver what's needed without worrying about past finances."
The National Health Service is composed of different trusts which are each run separately, and many of them have overspent as they struggled to deal with the pressures of squeezed funding and an ageing population.
Hancock said today (April 2): "This landmark step will not only put the NHS in a stronger position to be able to respond to this global coronavirus pandemic, but it will ensure the NHS has stronger foundations for the future too."
Boris Johnson is still suffering with the coronavirus and might not be able to leave self-isolation
Prime Minister Boris Johnson still has symptoms of the coronavirus and might not be able to leave self-isolation on Friday, April 3 as hoped, his spokesperson said on Thursday (April 2.)
Johnson announced he had caught the virus last week and has been self-isolating in his Downing Street residence ever since.
The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt also announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus last week and is due to make his first appearance since going into quarantine later on Thursday (April 2).
"More needs to be done" by the UK government to test people for the coronavirus, Boris Johnson's spokesperson says
Boris Johnson accepts "more needs to be done" when it comes to testing people in the UK for the coronavirus, according to his official spokesperson.
The prime minister's spokesperson said on Thursday, April 2: "We acknowledge that more needs to be done in relation to testing and we need a significant increase in testing.
"We need to be making progress very quickly and we acknowledge that."
Johnson's government is under immense pressure to ramp up UK testing capacity.
Currently, around 10,000 people are being tested every day. 10,412 people were tested for the virus on Wednesday (April 1.) This is well short of the prime minister's 25,000 daily target, and miles behind the 500,000 people a week which Germany is testing.
Johnson's spokesperson said two more testing labs would open in the north of England and Scotland next week, in addition to the lab which has recently opened in Milton Keynes.
Here's what else Johnson's spokesperson said about COVID-19 testing in the UK:
The UK government has received potential testing equipment which cannot be used, because they "have not met the required levels of accuracy."
The NHS has produced a specification for swab testing which has been shared with manufacturers. Johnson's spokesperson said: "We think that provides a way forward to allow us to complete 100,000s of tests."
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to make further announcements on testing at the government's daily press conference later today. He is set to take twice as many questions from journalists as usual amid growing pressure on the government to take swift action.
More than half of Brits think Johnson's government was too slow to enforce social distancing
Prime Minister Johnson introduced strict lockdown measures on Thursday, March 23, to prepare for an acceleration in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the UK. The measures included closing pubs, restaurants, and cafes, and imposing strict rules on when people could leave their homes.
However, the Ipsos MORI poll published today says that over half of the population believes the UK government should have brought in those measures sooner.
56% of respondents said they were taken too late.
35% said they were taken at the right time.
4% said they were taken too soon.
Nearly half of people who voted for Johnson's Conservatives at December's general election (44%) said the government should have brought in the measures sooner.
Two thirds of British people think Johnson's government has handled coronavirus testing badly
The polling company found that 66% of respondents said the government "had handled the testing of people for coronavirus so far" either "fairly badly" or "very badly."
The UK government and senior health officials are under immense pressure to ramp up the UK's testing capacity, with the country testing around 10,000 people a day compared to the 500,000 a week being tested in Germany. It emerged on Wednesday just 2,000 NHS staff had been tested for the virus. The UK press turned on the government's handling of testing on Thursday, including newspapers which are usually supportive of Johnson.
UK Press turns on Boris Johnson's government over coronavirus testing fiasco
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has woken up on April 2 to a truly bleak set of front pages for the country and his government.
Even normally supportive newspapers, like his former employers at the Daily Telegraph, appear to be turning on Johnson's government over its handling of the crisis.
Growing concern over continuing rise of coronavirus cases in the UK
The UK's latest coronavirus figures are "concerning" as they suggest a recent plateau in the number of new cases is now over, according to Yvonne Doyle, Public Health England's medical director.
Speaking alongside Business Secretary Alok Sharma at the government's daily press conference on Wednesday (April 1), Doyle suggested that the 3,009 new cases reported on Wednesday could be the beginning of a significant increase, though it was "too early" to say.
Her comments came as the UK suffered the biggest increase in deaths and hospital admissions since the crisis began. 563 people were confirmed to have died after contracting COVID-19.
Doyle also highlighted an uptick in motor vehicle use, suggesting that observance of the coronavirus lockdown may be weakening.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1245384012211933184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Prof Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, says there has been an increase in motor vehicle traffic in Great Britain which is a "concerning trend"
NHS gives trusts the green light to test more staff for the coronavirus
NHS England on Wednesday (April 1) wrote to all NHS trusts nationwide telling them that the 15% cap on staff testing had been removed immediately.
In the letter, which you can read here, NHS England asked trusts to use the testing labs they have to their full capacity, in order to ramp up the number of staff being tested for the virus.
A spokesperson for Boris Johnson t said that just 2,000 NHS staff had been tested.
The UK government is under immense pressure to significantly increase the number of tests being carried out. The UK's testing capacity as of Wednesday was 12, 750 people per day. It carried out 10,412 yesterday (March 31.)
Trump says the UK's 'herd immunity' plan would have been 'catastrophic'
Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Boris Johnson's abandoned plan for creating "herd immunity" to the coronavirus in the UK would have been "catastrophic" and caused "a lot of death."
The president said that the UK government's original coronavirus strategy plan, which involved allowing the virus to spread in order to achieve resistance to the virus in the population, would have caused millions of deaths if adopted in the US.
"If you remember, they were looking at that concept - I guess it's a concept if you don't mind death, a lot of death - but they were looking at that in the UK, remember," Trump told a White House press briefing on Tuesday.
"And all of a sudden they went hard the other way because they started seeing things that weren't good, so they put themselves in a little bit of a problem."
Boris Johnson's government believed coronavirus was only a 'moderate' risk to the UK
Boris Johnson's government is under growing pressure to explain why it has failed to mirror other European countries in implementing widespread coronavirus testing, as reports suggest that it was operating until recent weeks under the false belief that COVID-19 would only be a "moderate" risk to the UK.
The World Health Organisation has advised all governments to implement mass testing regimes, in order to repeat the success of those countries, such as South Korea, who have used testing to "flatten the curve" of the virus' spread.
However, the latest figures show that while Germany is currently testing around 500,000 people a week, while the UK's testing capacity was 12,750 as of today (April 1.)
Downing Street has today (April 1) admitted the UK is not currently testing for the coronavirus to full capacity. The UK carried out 10,412 tests yesterday (March 31), even though the current testing capacity is 12,750.
They also revealed that just 2,000 NHS frontline staff had been tested for the coronavirus. The health service has over one million full time employees, though Johnson's spokesperson was keen to stress that not all frontline staff have required a test.
Downing Street insists the NHS is responsible for the allocation of tests, adding that "clear instructions have been sent to NHS trusts that where capacity is available, testing should be carried out on NHS frontline staff."
It comes amid as the government comes under increasing pressure to explain why it has not implemented mass testing in line with most other European countries. Nearly 500,000 people a day are being tested for the coronavirus in Germany. Reports on Wednesday, April 1, suggested that the government had ignored advice to ramp up testing in March because it only deemed the coronavirus a "moderate threat."
The prime minister's spokesperson also said:
The first 30 ventilators of the 8,000 the government has ordered will arrive next week.
The government hopes to order "thousands" more ventilators from manufacturers in the coming weeks. The manufacturers need to pass safety and design checks first.
The Nightingale hospital, which has been created in a London conference centre specifically for the coronavirus outbreak, will open later this week. It will initially operate 500 beds.
The NHS says there are 'green shoots' for the UK in tackling the coronavirus
Speaking at the UK government's daily press conference on the coronavirus on Tuesday, March 31, Stephen Powis of NHS England said there are some causes for cautious optimism about the UK's coronavirus outlook.
He says that despite the big increase in deaths in the previous 24 hours, there had been a "plateau" in the number of new confirmed cases of the virus over the last few days.
However, he said that the next two weeks will be "critical" for combating the coronavirus, and urged British people not to become complacent.
"These are green shoots, but only green shoots. We must not be complacent and we must not take our foot off the pedal," he said.
NHS staff from abroad will have their visas extended for 12 months so they can focus on fighting the coronavirus
Around 2,800 doctors, nurses, and paramedics will have their visas extended by a year so they can stay in the UK to help the NHS fight the coronavirus, the UK government announced today (March 31.)
The extension will apply to those whose visas were due to expire before October 31, as well as family members they have in the UK.
"By giving them the peace of mind that they do not need to apply for a visa extension, this will allow those at the frontline – working around the clock in hospitals to treat the most seriously ill – to focus fully on combatting coronavirus and saving lives," the government said.
Johnson's spokesperson says the antibody test the government hopes to roll out will be a 'game-changer'
Boris Johnson's government hopes to be able to roll out a "game-changer" anti-body test to the general public as soon as possible, his spokesperson said on Tuesday, March 31.
They stressed that the test must be approved by UK scientists before it can be rolled out.
"The first thing to do is to ensure that we have a test which works as the chief medical officer has set out. A bad test would be worse than no test because it provides false reassurance."
They added: "But the prime minister and chief medical officer and have all been clear that once this test has been established it can be a game-changer.
"We want it to be used as widely as possible."
Here's what else Johnson's spokesperson said:
The army is helping the UK government deliver vital safety equipment — known as PPE — to hospitals around the country. Yesterday (March 30) they delivered more than 2.5 million aprons, 867,000 eye protectors, 280,000 respiratory masks, 1 million surgical masks, and 11 million gloves.
The NHS has identified three sites which could be used for temporary hospitals like the one established in east London last week. Manchester, Birmingham, and Harrogate are reported to be potential sites. Johnson's spokesperson said: "We are in discussions with healthcare providers across the country and they have the support of military planners so that is certainly not to be ruled out in future."
British people are not limited to one shop a week. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps on Tuesday morning suggested people should only be shopping once a week. However, Johnson's spokesperson said: "The guidance doesn't specify that, no. The guidance says it should be as infrequent as possible. As I say, the guidance sets out shopping should be as infrequent as possible. For some people, I'm sure that will be once a week. But it's not what the guidance specifies."
Boris Johnson tells his Cabinet "the situation is going to get worse before it gets better — but it will get better"
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just met with his Cabinet.
Here's a readout of that meeting:
"For the first time, Cabinet met entirely using videoconference today.
"Ministers all appeared on a single digital screen, in a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister.
"Only the Cabinet Secretary and a small number of officials were in the Cabinet room itself, observing social distancing rules on keeping two metres apart.
"Updates on the Government's coronavirus response were given by videoconference by the Chief Scientific Advisor and the Chief Medical Officer.
"Cabinet discussed the work which is taking place to support the NHS, expand testing, safeguard jobs and repatriate British citizens who are stranded abroad.
"They thanked the NHS and frontline workers for all of their tremendous hard work.
"The PM said the rising death toll in recent days showed the vital importance of the public continuing to stick to the social distancing guidance which has been put in place by the Government, based on scientific and medical advice.
"The message to the public is: Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives."
"The PM said that the situation is going to get worse before it gets better — but it will get better."
Johnson urged to set up compensation scheme for families of NHS staff lost to coronavirus
A cross-party group of 50 MPs have signed a letter urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to create a "Coronavirus Compensation Scheme" for the families of NHS staff who lose their lives to the coronavirus.
The MP behind the letter, Liberal Democrat Layla Moran, said: "Our gratitude to all those on the frontline, who are working to save and help others, is limitless.
"They are putting their lives on the line and they should know that, should the worst happen, the state will help their families."
Three NHS doctors have died after catching the COVID-19 virus.
The Cabinet prepares to hold a totally remote meeting for the first time ever
Boris Johnson and his Cabinet will on Tuesday morning (March 31) hold their weekly meeting without a single attendee sitting in the same room — the first this has happened in the history of the UK government.
The spread of the coronavirus has reached the highest echelons of government, with Prime Minister Johnson, his chief adviser Dominic Cummings, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, and Chief Medical Office Chris Whitty, all self-isolating after either testing positive for the virus or developing its symptoms.
The UK coronavirus lockdown has had a dramatic impact
The UK's Chief Scientific Officer on Monday, March 30 unveiled a series of charts showing the huge impact the country's social distancing measures are already having.
One chart showed quite how dramatically movement on the roads and rails has collapsed in recent weeks, down to a fraction of what it was the previous month.
The UK's Chief Scientific Officer Patrick Vallance said the measures were already having big effect in terms of reducing the contact rate for the infection, which the government expects to see leading to a flattening of the coronavirus curve in terms of new cases over the coming month.
However, he said he expected the number of people being admitted into hospital to continue to rise in the coming weeks.
Prince Charles is out of coronavirus self-isolation
Prince Charles on Monday, March 30 left self-isolation after being tested positive for the coronavirus.
"Clarence House has confirmed today that, having consulted with his doctor, the Prince of Wales is now out of self-isolation," a spokesman for the prince said, the BBC reported.
UK shops reportedly told not to sell Easter eggs
Some shops in the UK have been told by officials not to sell "nonessential" items such as Easter eggs, according to the Times of London Newspaper on Monday March 30.
Asked about the story, Boris Johnson's spokesman said that all shops which are allowed to remain open during the lockdown should be allowed to sell whatever they have in stock.
"If a shop is allowed to remain open then it should be able to continue to sell its stock," the spokesperson said.
Dominic Cummings 'develops symptoms of coronavirus'
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's chief adviser Dominic Cummings is now also self-isolating after developing symptoms of the coronavirus, the Political Editor of the Daily Mail, Jason Groves, reported on Monday March 30.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1244554527602282496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Dominic Cummings has developed symptoms of coronavirus over the weekend and is now self-isolating. No 10 source says he remains 'in contact'
This means that the prime minister, his most senior aide, the Health Secretary and the Chief Medical Officer have all now developed symptoms of the virus.
Britain might not return to normal for 6 months or more
The UK government will review whether it should relax social distancing measures once every three weeks, but they could be in place for six months or more, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries said on Sunday afternoon (March 29.)
Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, she said: "So over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three-week review."
She warned that it would be unwise for the government to suddenly remove social distancing measures if the daily number of new cases started to decrease, as that risked progress being "wasted," adding "we could potentially see a second peak."
"We must not then suddenly revert to our normal way of living. That would be quite dangerous," she said.
An NHS consultant has died after catching the coronavirus
An NHS consultant has died after catching the coronavirus — the first frontline health professional to die during the outbreak of the virus in the UK.
Amged El-Hawrani, 55, has died after catching the virus, the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton where he worked said on Sunday (March 29.)
A spokesperson for his family said: "Amged was a loving and much-loved husband, son, father, brother, and friend. His greatest passions were his family and his profession, and he dedicated his life to both. He was the rock of our family, incredibly strong, compassionate, caring and giving. He always put everyone else before himself. We all turned to him when we needed support and he was always there for us. He had so many responsibilities and yet he never complained.
"Amged reached the very top of his profession and we know he made a difference to thousands of lives during his career. He viewed his role as a doctor as one of life's most noble pursuits. He was also a leader, who educated many doctors who have subsequently become ENT consultants. We are incredibly proud of the legacy he has left behind and all that he has achieved.
"We would like to thank all those involved in his care for their kindness and compassion during his illness. They worked tirelessly for their patient, as he would have done for his own. "Losing Amged is devastating for our family. Life without him is impossible to imagine but together, we will do all we can to honour his memory and live how he would have wanted us to."
Brits are encouraged to clap for the NHS every week during the coronavirus crisis
The creator of the Clap for our Carers campaign, which organised a nationwide round of applause for NHS staff on Thursday (March 26), has urged British people to applaud health workers every Thursday at 8pm until the end of the coronavirus crisis.
There were moving scenes on Thursday when millions across the UK applauded NHS staff from their frontdoors, windows, and balconies.
The person behind the campaign, thirty-six-year-old Annemarie Plas, wants it to become a weekly event.
Plas told the i: "We are at the moment thinking our of our next steps, but after reading all the messages of support, we will do this every week on Thursday at 8pm until the end of the current measures, to keep supporting those who are under enormous stress day in and day out."
The UK's coronavirus lockdown does not have a 'fixed' length
Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has said that the UK's lockdown does not have a "fixed" length and depends on how closely the British public follows social distancing rules.
"There are different projections as to how long the lockdown might last," Gove told Sky News on Sunday morning (March 29.)
He said: "It's not the case that the length of the lockdown is something that is absolutely fixed.
"It depends on all of our behaviour. If we follow the guidelines, we can deal more effectively with the spread of the disease."
Two-thirds of Brits want the Brexit transition to be delayed
Two-thirds of Brits believe the Brexit transition period should be extended to allow the UK government to focus on the coronavirus, according to a new poll commissioned by campaign group Best For Britain and released today (March 29.)
The transition period is due to expire at the end of December. However, talks between the UK and EU to strike a free trade deal by that time have been derailed by the outbreak of the virus. Boris Johnson and the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier have both tested positive for it.
The poll carried out by Focaldata found:
Two-thirds of Brits (64%) said they agreed with the statement: 'The government should request an extension to the transition period in order to focus properly on the Coronavirus."
A third (36%) agreed with the statement 'The Brexit transition period must end on 31 December whether a deal has been fixed or not."
Best For Britain CEO Naomi Smith said: "Most people just want the government to get on with the job at hand so that lives can be saved and normality restored as quickly as possible.
"This is the case across all age groups and UK regions, which explains why the government is facing calls to extend the transition period from such a wide variety of pressure groups.
"The country is simply not in a place to weather two storms at the moment."
Boris Johnson warns Brits "things will get worse before they get better" in a letter to all households
Boris Johnson has written to every household in the country urging people to stay indoors to protect the NHS and save lives as the UK's battle with the coronavirus intensifies.
In the letter, which is being sent out to around 30 million households around the country in the coming days, Johnson urges national unity, and implores people to stay at home and follow the rules set out by the government.
"We know things will get worse before they get better," Johnson's letter says.
The Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty was also absent from the press conference due to experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
The developments meant that the three leading individuals in the UK government's efforts to tackle the coronavirus may have all now themselves caught the virus.
Gove took a series of questions from journalists about whether the government had failed to properly protect the prime minister from the illness.
Gove also announced that coronavirus antibody testing, which establishes whether an individual has previously contracted COVID-19, will soon be rolled out to frontline workers in the NHS and beyond in order to ensure they can return to work.
The UK government's chief medical officer is in self-isolation after developing coronavirus symptoms
Chris Whitty, the UK government's chief medical officer, is self-isolating after developing coronavirus symptoms.
Matt Hancock has also tested positive for the coronavirus
Following Boris Johnson's announcement that he has the coronavirus, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also confirmed that he is in self-isolation after testing positive for the virus.
Hancock said on Twitter that he has developed "very mild" symptoms.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1243522325397622784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Following medical advice, I was advised to test for #Coronavirus.
I've tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I'm working from home & self-isolating.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday (March 27) that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. He is self-isolating in Downing Street with mild symptoms of the virus.
His spokesperson has just briefed journalists on what happens next.
Here's what they said:
Johnson noticed he had developed mild symptoms yesterday afternoon. He took a test and received the results at midnight last night. He will self-isolate for seven days.
Johnson will be unable to do press conferences while self-isolating. "In terms of press conference, that's something the PM is not going to be able to do while he's self-isolating," his spokesperson said. A senior minister is set to take his place.
The prime minister hasn't seen the Queen for at least two weeks. The pair have been having their weekly chats over the phone for the last fortnight.
His spokesperson was not aware that any of Johnson's most senior ministers had been tested for the virus. The prime minister has had meetings with Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Hancock in recent days. "The position is that if people were to start to display symptoms, as with the rest of the country, the advice would be to self-isolate," they said.
UK firefighters given powers to retrieve the dead during the coronavirus pandemic
Firefighters in the UK will be able to "deliver food and medicines, drive ambulances, and retrieve dead bodies during the coronavirus outbreak" according to a new agreement between trade unions and fire chiefs.
"Firefighters and control staff have always stepped in when the public has been in danger and this crisis is no different,' Fire Brigades Union chief Matt Wrack said on Friday (March 27).
"The strain on all emergency services will be great, but we can and will get through it together."
UK police are using drones to lockdown shame the public
UK police officers sparked a public backlash on Thursday (March 26) after using drones to "lockdown shame" people for continuing to visit remote areas to exercise and walk their dogs, despite the national coronavirus lockdown.
Derbyshire Police on Thursday posted drone footage of hillwalkers visiting the Peak District National Park.
Footage of two individuals walking their dogs in the park was labelled as "not essential" in the clip.
British people take to the streets to applaud the NHS
There were moving scenes across the UK at 8pm on Thursday March 26 when millions of people applauded NHS staff from their doorsteps, windows, and balconies.
It was organised by the "Clap for Carers" campaign, which said "during these unprecedented times they [NHS staff] need to know we are grateful."
The incredible footage below captured the sound of people in London clapping:
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Chancellor Rishi Sunak also joined in the applause on Downing Street.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1243297513240698884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak showed their appreciation for the NHS by taking part in the Clap for Carers event pic.twitter.com/lToTTPJWFK
Self-employed people affected by the coronavirus will be given up to £2,500 cash a month — but not until June
The UK government has announced emergency financial support for self-employed people whose finances have been damaged by the coronavirus, but the money will not be available until June, raising serious questions about how people who work for themselves will stay financially afloat until then.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Thursday afternoon (March 26) that the government would give self-employed people taxable grants worth 80% of their average profits over the last three years, up to £2,500.
The grants will be available for three months, but the UK government will extend the period if necessary, Sunak said at a press conference in Downing Street.
Sunak said the UK's support for the self-employed was "unprecedented" and "one of the most generous in the world."
The UK Chancellor said: "I know that many self-employed people are deeply anxious about the support available for them. Musicians and sound engineers, plumbers and electricians, taxi drivers and driving instructors, hair-dressers and child-minders and many others through no fault of their own risk losing their livelihoods.
"To you, I say this: You have not been forgotten. We will not let [sic] you behind. We all stand together."
Addressing questions about how people will access cash before June, Sunak said people could apply for advance loans through the Universal Credit scheme.
Boris Johnson announces £210 million funding to find a coronavirus vaccine
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced today (Thursday March 26) that the UK will inject an extra £210 million into the global effort to find a vaccine for the coronavirus.
The UK government says this is the biggest single contribution by any country to the international fund for finding a vaccine.
Johnson announced the news after holding a video call with G20 leaders at lunchtime.
The group pursuing a vaccine — the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) — has said that it needs an additional $2 billion to help develop a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus.
Johnson said on Thursday that this would be achieved if the governments of all other G20 countries each contributed $100 million to the scheme.
The UK prime minister said: "While our brilliant doctors and nurses fight coronavirus at home, this record British funding will help to find a vaccine for the entire world. UK medics and researchers are at the forefront of this pioneering work.
"My call to every G20 country and to governments around the world is to step up and help us defeat this virus. "In the meantime, I want to repeat to everyone that they should stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives."
The UK has now contributed a total of £544 million to the scheme.
The British public will applaud NHS workers at 8pm tonight
The British public is set to thank National Health Service staff who are fighting the coronavirus by partaking in a nationwide round of applause at 8pm tonight (Thursday, March 26.)
It is being organised by the "Clap for Carers" campaign, which said "during these unprecedented times they [NHS staff] need to know we are grateful."
British people are encouraged to join the round of applause from their doorsteps, windows, and balconies.
The UK is refusing to take part in an EU scheme to secure thousands of ventilators
The UK government is refusing to take part in an EU scheme to procure thousands of ventilators and other medical supplies.
The European Commission has launched a joint effort to secure ventilators and protective equipment for medical staff, which could significantly reduce costs because of the bloc's greater buying power.
Speaking on Thursday (March 26), the prime minister's spokesperson confirmed the UK could access the scheme if it wanted to because it is still in the Brexit transition period but said the government was not interested because "we are no longer a member of the EU."
"This is an area where we are making our own efforts," they added.
The decision will raise questions about whether the government is putting its commitment to Brexit over the national interest.
A government source also confirmed that the government was "actively considering" plans for more field hospitals across the country. Reports suggest sites in Birmingham and Manchester are being considered.
March 26: Rishi Sunak to unveil emergency support for Britain's self employed today
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak will today (March 26) announce support for self-employed people who are struggling to cope with the financial effects of the coronavirus.
The UK government has been under intense pressure this week to give more support to the self-employed after it announced grants and tax deferrals for businesses and their employees last week.
Sunak is set to reveal the new measures in a press conference later today.
A British worker films the inside of the huge London venue being transformed into a coronavirus hospital
A British worker has uploaded footage showing the inside of the massive east London conference venue which Boris Johnson's government is turning into a hospital for up to 4,000 coronavirus patients.
In the footage, worker Alex Woodside says: "If you're not taking it seriously like I wasn't, I think we really need to start, because they're preparing for an absolute high death toll here."
At least 560,000 people have volunteered to help the National Health Service protect vulnerable people from the coronavirus since the UK government launched the "Your NHS Needs You" scheme on Tuesday (March 24.)
Boris Johnson's government has asked British people to help the NHS protect the 1.5 million people identified as being most vulnerable to the coronavirus.
March 26: Another 43 people have died in the UK, bringing the total to 465.
A further 43 people, who tested positive for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in the UK to 465, the National Health Service said on Wednesday evening (March 25.)
Patients were aged between 47 and 93 years old and all except the 47 year old had underlying health conditions.
Coronavirus antibody tests will be rolled out first to NHS workers
Speaking alongside Boris Johnson at today's press conference (March 25), Witty said the UK had ordered a large number of these tests, but they would first need to be properly tested.
Under the plan the tests, which determine whether an individual has ever had the virus, will first be given to NHS staff, and then made more widely available to the general public.
Whitty stressed it's unlikely that the tests will be made available to the public as soon as next week.
"I do not think this is something you will be ordering on the internet next week," he said.
Whitty said the tests could be crucial for fighting the coronavirus as they might be able to indicate how many carriers of the virus are asymptomatic, therefore potentially allowing restrictions to be lifted sooner.
405,000 sign up to be NHS volunteers in 24 hours
405,000 people in the UK have signed up to be volunteers for the National Health Service since the UK government launched the scheme 24 hours ago, Boris Johnson said on Wednesday (March 25.)
The prime minister said that a huge number of people had responded to the government's "Your NHS Needs You" scheme, designed to provide additional support to 1.5 million Brits identified as being most vulnerable to the coronavirus.
A 21-year-old woman with no pre-existing health conditions has died after testing positive for the coronavirus
A 21-year-old woman in the UK, who had no underlying health complications, has died after contracting the coronavirus.
Chloe Middleton died on Saturday (March 21.) She is believed to be the UK's youngest victim with no underlying health issues. Here's the full story.
London City Airport suspends all flights until the end of April
London City Airport has announced that it has suspended all flights until the end of April as the UK continues to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
Rishi Sunak will announce support for Britain's self-employed on Thursday
Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce new financial support for the self-employed on Thursday (March 26), the prime minister's spokesperson has just told journalists.
The UK government is under pressure to provide financial support to self-employed people having already announced measures designed to help businesses and their employees.
Here's what else Johnson's spokesperson said today (March 25):
Johnson is having his weekly meeting with The Queen over the phone, rather than in person.
The prime minister is "still fit and well" despite government staff catching the virus.
Companies which don't follow government instructions and temporarily close "face enforcement action, up to an unlimited fine." Sports Direct triggered outrage this week when owner Mike Ashley said his sports retailer would remain open, before agreeing to close his shops.
Doctors could quit the NHS over shortage of medical equipment
Doctors leading the fight against the coronavirus could quit if the UK government fails to provide them with adequate protective equipment soon, groups representing them have warned.
As the outbreak continues to grow in the UK, doctors say they are being forced to endanger their own health due to a nationwide shortage of the right equipment.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes masks, respirators, and gowns, and can help prevent transmission of the virus between medical staff and patients.
The House of Commons closes a week early for Easter and may not reopen for some time
The House of Commons will go for its Easter break a week early today (Wednesday March 25) and may not return for some time, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg said.
The House is currently scheduled to return on April 21, but this will be assessed nearer the time, Mogg told members of Parliament.
UK logistics urge Boris Johnson to extend the Brexit transition period following the coronavirus outbreak
The Freight Transport Association, which represents the UK logistics sector, has today (March 25) urged Boris Johnson to extend the Brexit transition period, warning that Britain's borders and hauliers cannot prepare for new trading arrangements with the EU while dealing with the impact of the coronavirus.
"Our industry needs the support of government, not to be broken by it," the FTA's Elizabeth de Jong said in a statement.
The transition period is due to expire at the end of December. Until then, the UK will follow all EU trade and customs rules, in order to give businesses on both sides of the border time to adapt new trading arrangements.
However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus across the continent has derailed negotiations over a new UK-EU free trade agreement, with talks postponed and the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, testing positive for the virus.
NHS capacity 'will not be breached' by the coronavirus
The UK government's national lockdown will be effective in preventing the NHS from being overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Professor Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London.
Ferguson, whose modelling was reportedly instrumental in persuading the UK and other governments around the world to go into lockdown, told the House of Commons Science Committee on Wednesday 25 March, that the crisis would peak in the UK in about 2-3 weeks before declining.
"We clearly cannot lock down the country for a year," he said.
"The challenge is to move from an intense lockdown.. to something that will allow the economy to re-start… That is likely to rely on large scale testing and contact tracing."
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1242797985139957760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw "We are reasonably confident - it's all we can be at the current time - that at a national level, we'll be within capacity."
Professor Neil Ferguson says under the current strategy, ICUs "won't be breached at a national level". pic.twitter.com/Voub5JTQsH
He said that testing in Italy suggested that "we're nowhere near that scenario."
He told Members of Parliament that: "Sage [the UK government's scientific advisory group] has considered that issue in a lot of detail. We have ruled out some scenarios in that paper...
He added that even if the Oxford modelling proved to be right, "It doesn't make any difference to what the government response should be."
170,000 sign up to be NHS volunteers in less than 24 hours
Over 170,000 members of the British public have offered to volunteer as National Health Service responded since the UK government launched the initiative on Tuesday.
NHS England tweeted today (Wednesday March 25) that this equated to 189 people every minute.
Health Secretary announced the launch of the scheme at a press conference yesterday. The UK government aims to create a nationwide "army" of volunteers who will help the NHS by supporting the 1.5 million people identified as being most vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Members of Parliament will go home today as Westminster goes into recess a week earlier than planned
Members of Parliament will head home a week earlier than planned today (Wednesday, March 25) with the UK Parliament set to break up for Easter recess.
MPs, Lords, and other parliamentary staff are set to return on Tuesday, April 21.
However, with the number of coronavirus cases growing exponentially in the UK, Parliament may be forced to into an even longer recess.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will take part in his last PMQs before the extended Easter break. You can expect most — if not all — questions to be about the strict new social distancing measures he announced on Monday evening, and the UK's plan going forward.
Nearly 12,000 retired NHS workers are returning to the frontline
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has announced today (Tuesday March 24) that 11,788 retired NHS workers are returning to work to help out in what he called the health service's "hour of need."
He also said the government was opening a new temporary hospital at London's ExCeL conference centre to provide support during the outbreak. It will be called the Nightingale Hospital and the army will help to set it up. Here's the full story.
March 24: 422 people in the UK have died after catching coronavirus
A further 87 people in the UK have died after catching the coronavirus, taking the total to 422, the NHS announced on Tuesday (March 24.) 83 of these deaths were in England. 27 were in London.
There are 8,077 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in the UK.
83,945 people in the UK have been tested for coronavirus
A spokesperson for Boris Johnson has told journalists the UK has tested 83,945 people for the coronavirus as of Tuesday morning (March 24), and is testing around 5,000 people a day.
The UK government aims to increase this to 10,000 tests per day by the end of the week, and 25,000 a day in the next three weeks.
Here's what else Johnson's spokesperson said:
Johnson has spoken to London mayor Sadiq Khan about his decision to reduce transport services in the capital after pictures this morning showed packed Tube carriages. "The PM raised with the mayor the issue of reduced services on the Tube and its impact on people trying to get to work," his spokesperson said.
Around 10% of pupils attended school yesterday following the UK government's decision to close them for all children apart from those of key workers.
The UK government is "working at pace to find a well-targeted package" for Britain's self-employed whose finances are being negatively affected by the COVID-19 virus.
UK prisons have stopped allowing visitors in accordance with social distancing rules.
The Tokyo Olympics is to be postponed to 2021
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach have agreed to postpone the Olympics for one year.
The games were supposed to be held in Tokyo, Japan from the end of July until early August.
However, the global outbreak of the coronavirus means the games cannot go ahead this summer, and will take place in 2021 instead. Insider's Will Martin has the story.
Boris Johnson's Cabinet holds a video conference for the first time
Boris Johnson and his ministers today (Tuesday March 24) held a Cabinet meeting over a video call for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the UK.
The prime minister told Cabinet it was "vital that the public followed the instructions issued by the Government on the need to stay at home."
His prime minister's spokesperson said: "Cabinet received an update from Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer, on the coronavirus outbreak.
Cabinet discussed the extensive range of actions which the Government is taking to tackle the spread of the virus.
The Prime Minister said it was vital that the public followed the instructions issued by the Government on the need to stay at home.
"The PM said that by staying at home, people would protect our NHS and save lives.
"The Chancellor confirmed to Cabinet that the Comprehensive Spending Review will be delayed so that Government remains focused on responding to the public health and economic emergency.
"Further details of when the Comprehensive Spending Review will be held will be set out in due course."
93% of Brits support Boris Johnson's new coronavirus measures
The UK's coronavirus lockdown could last up to 6 months
March 24: The UK is waking up to a state of lockdown after Boris Johnson on Monday evening introduced strict new measures to reduce human contact and the spread of the coronavirus.
Johnson announced that Brits would only be allowed to leave their homes for essential reasons, and would not be able to gather in groups of more than two people in public. He has also banned all social events and closed all non-essential retail businesses. Here are the details.
The Police have the powers to fine those who don't comply with the new social distancing rules. These fines begin at £30 but could rise to £1,000. Officials have told the Police to prepare for the lockdown lasting for up to six months, according to reports on Tuesday morning.
The ban, which will last for an initial 3 weeks from today, is "highly likely" to be extended until May or June, the reports say.
Boris Johnson bans social events, closes down all non-essential shops, and says people can only leave their homes for essentials, exercise, and work in strict new coronavirus rules
March 23: Boris Johnson unveiled a series of strict new social distancing measures as his government steps up its efforts to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
In a TV address to the nation on Monday evening, the prime minister said: "Without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope; because there won't be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors and nurses."
Here are the new measures he announced:
People will only be allowed to leave their home for the following very limited purposes:
shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible
one form of exercise a day - for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household;
any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person; and
travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.
The UK government will:
close all shops selling non-essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores and other premises including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship;
we will stop all gatherings of more than two people in public – excluding people you live with;
and we'll stop all social events, including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies, but excluding funerals.
Police will have the power to fine people who don't comply with the rules.
Boris Johnson will reportedly not do a press conference today
Boris Johnson will not do his daily press conference on Monday, according to multiple reports.
The prime minister had promised to update the nation on the government's efforts to fight the coronavirus on a daily basis using a press conference.
However, Johnson is not set to do one on Monday, and will instead make a statement following a COBRA meeting of senior ministers and officials.
Another 46 people have in England after catching coronavirus
March 23: Another 46 people in England have died after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of deaths in England to 303, NHS England has said.
The victims were aged between 47 and 105 years old and all had underlying health conditions.
The UK death toll is now 335.
Amazon is reportedly in talks with the UK government about delivering coronavirus tests
Boris Johnson's government is reportedly in talks with Amazon and other companies about delivering COVID-19 test kits to the British public.
Under the plan being discussed on March 23, major logistics companies like Amazon would deliver testing kits to key workers like those in the National Health Service, before expanding the service to the general public. Here's the story.
A social distancing ad campaign is coming in the next few days
The UK government will in the next few days launch a nationwide ad campaign on social distancing, the prime minister's spokesperson said on March 23.
Boris Johnson has been accused of issuing confusing advice on social distancing after pictures over the weekend showed packed outdoor spaces like parks and beaches.
His spokesperson revealed the imminent ad campaign in the daily lobby briefing.
Here's what else they said:
The UK government will introduce more stringent social distancing rules if their data shows British people are not following Johnson's instructions. "If our analysis is that people haven't stopped their interactions then we will take further measures," they said.
Ministers are "working around the clock to find an appropriate package" for self-employed people who are being affected by the coronavirus. "We do understand the urgency of this situation," the prime minister's spokesperson said.
The UK government is "working urgently" to help airline companies on the brink of collapse as a result of the COVID-19 virus.
Boris Johnson and his Cabinet will meet today as planned. However, several ministers will be dialling in.
The UK government's new coronavirus law will "enable a national quarantine"
The Coronavirus Bill being rushed through Parliament today will "enable a national quarantine," according to Boris Johnson's Parliamentary Private Secretary.
Conservative MP Trudy Harrison told BBC Radio Cumbria this morning: "It's very sad that it has come to this because some people are just not listening."
The prime minister is expected to announce more stringent social distancing measures at his press conference on March 23.
Boris Johnson is considering plans to close all non-essential businesses and fine people who ignore social distancing rules
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will meet with ministers and officials on Monday morning to discuss more new measures for achieving social distancing as the coronavirus continues to spread across the country.
Johnson is considering plans to close all non-essential businesses — he announced the closure of pubs, restaurants, cafes, gyms, nightclubs, and leisure centres on Friday — and fine people who ignore social distancing instructions, the BBC reported on March 23.
The UK government is under immense pressure to enforce more stringent measures after pictures emerged over the weekend of people packing into parks and beaches across the UK.
The UK government effectively nationalises the railways to ensure trains keep running
The UK government has all-but nationalised Britain's railways for a period of at least six months, in order to ensure key workers like doctors, nurses, and other emergency service personnel can travel during the coronavirus crisis.
The UK government will suspend all franchise agreements and take control of all revenue, the Department for Transport announced on Monday (March 23.) Private operators will continue to run services for a "small predetermined management fee," the department said.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "Today's offer will provide greater flexibility to the train operators and the government and make sure the railway can continue to react quickly to changing circumstances and play its part in serving the national interest.
"It will ensure vital services continue to operate for key workers who are keeping the nation running and that we are able to reinstate a normal service quickly when the situation improves."
Boris Johnson threatens to close parks if people don't keep his 'two-metre rule'
March 23: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has threatened to impose "further measures" to close UK parks and other public spaces if the public doesn't follow government social distancing guidelines to keep two metres apart from other people.
"If people can't make use of parks in a way which observes the two-metre rule then, of course, we will have to take further measures," Johnson said.
He indicated that these measures would be similar to the sorts of lockdown on public spaces seen in other European countries.
The Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick also announced that the government would tomorrow write to the most clinically vulnerable people in the country advising them to stay at home for 12 weeks.
The UK's coronavirus outbreak is just two weeks behind Italy's
The United Kingdom has as little as two weeks to prevent its Coronavirus outbreak reaching the depths of the crisis currently seen in Italy, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned.
"The numbers are very stark, and they are accelerating. We are only a matter of weeks - two or three - behind Italy," Johnson said on Saturday March 21.
The government will pay up to 80% of people's wages
March 20: Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the government will pay most of people's wages to stop businesses from going bankrupt.
The chancellor said that the government would use grants to pay 80% of the salaries of Brits still on the payroll but forced out of work by the coronavirus, in order to prevent them from losing their jobs. That figure will be capped at £2,500 a month.
He also announced that VAT would be deferred for the whole of the next quarter, meaning businesses will not have to pay the tax until June at the earliest.
MPs return to the NHS to fight the coronavirus
MPs who used to work for the NHS are returning to the healths service to help the fight against coronavirus.
Rosena Allin-Khan, who is standing to be deputy leader of the Labour Party, is set to help out at her local emergency department this weekend to ease the strain on staff there.
Conservative MP Maria Caulfield, a registered nurse, is returning to the NHS to do shifts and weekend work during the parliamentary recess.
She said Boris Johnson was "very supportive" of her decision, adding: "It's important to help out if you can. With schools closed it's putting a lot of pressure on the NHS.
"If one member of their family goes into self-isolation they all have to now, so that's taking people out of the system."
London pubs, restaurants and gyms were closed on the evening of Friday, March 20.
Pubs, restaurants, cinemas, leisure centres, and gyms will be closed under new coronavirus measures for London prepared by Boris Johnson's government, the Evening Standard reports.
The newspaper says that the measures were agreed at a COBRA meeting on Friday morning.
Johnson could announce the new rules for the capital at his daily press conference later today.
The COVID-19 virus is spreading faster in London than anywhere else in the UK.
The prime minister has advised Brits to stay at home and not go to public places like pubs and restaurants. However, this week pictures have shown Londoners continuing to visit these places, putting pressure on the government to close premises altogether.
150 lorries are dropping off protective equipment at hospitals today
150 lorries are currently on their way to hospitals nationwide where they will drop off PPE (protective equipment) for doctors and nurses treating coronavirus patients, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1240952751724560384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw WATCH: After reports that NHS staff are not being given the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) equipment they need, @MattHancock tells me he has 150 lorries that are delivering PPE to NHS staff right now. pic.twitter.com/79D1GVbGrH
The UK's chief Brexit negotiator is in self-isolation after showing coronavirus symptoms
Frost has recently been in contact with Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, who announced on Thursday that he had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
Transport for London announces more closures and tells people to use services only if "absolutely essential"
Transport for London has just announced that more Tube lines will close from today and next week in an effort to reduce contact between Londoners.
In an email to commuters, TfL said: "Only travel if your journey is absolutely essential. If you do travel, follow the expert advice on hand washing and other health measures.
"We are running reduced services and closing a number of stations, and also still need to undertake essential engineering work at weekends."
Here's what you need to know about TfL closures:
"From today, Friday 20 March, the Waterloo & City line will be closed and there will be no Night Tube or Night Overground services until further notice.
"From Monday 23 March, we will also gradually reduce other services across the TfL network.
"Our extensive night bus service will continue, in order to provide critical workers with a reliable night option as they continue to support the city throughout Covid-19.
"These measures allow us to keep helping critical workers make their essential journeys, and keep the most used stations and services open and running.
"For the latest information on what we're doing to tackle Coronavirus on our network, check back to our Covid-19 page."
Rishi Sunak will today announce emergency support for workers facing losing their jobs
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak will today announce more emergency measures to support workers facing redundancy as the coronavirus continues to damage businesses nationwide.
Sunak earlier this week announced that the government would give £330 billion worth of loans to companies which need support and three-month mortgage holidays to struggling households, among other things.
However, figures from across the political spectrum — including Conservative MPs — have urged Boris Johnson's government to do more for workers, with companies across the country already beginning to lay people off.
The Financial Times reports that Sunak is seriously considering subsidising the wages of affected workers. Another idea he is reportedly considering is allowing businesses to have tax holidays.
Boris Johnson says Britain "can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks"
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he believes Britain can begin to exit the coronavirus crisis within the next three months — but only of the British public follows the government's advice.
At his daily press conference, Johnson said: "We can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks, and I'm absolutely confident we can send coronavirus packing in this country, but only if we all take the steps outlined."
This means the UK government currently believes the country will need to continue with social distancing until at least June.
Johnson also said:
Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce more support for businesses and workers in the next day or so. The UK government is being urged to add to the measures it announced earlier this week amid businesses closing and jobs being lost across the country.
The UK government is looking at potentially buying antibody tests which can detect whether someone is carrying or has carried the virus. Johnson said this would be a "game changer" because it would allow people to go back to work.
Today a British patient was put into a trial for drugs for the first time.
The Queen says Britain is "up for that challenge" of defeating coronavirus
The Queen has issued her first public statement since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the UK.
"Many of us will have to find new ways of staying in touch with each other and making sure that loved ones are safe," she said. "I am certain that we are up for that challenge. You can be assured that my family stands ready to play our part."
Here's the Queen's full statement:
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1240677617491226624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Final part of statement from The Queen pic.twitter.com/ez4oHvPT8u
No more than 5 people should attend weddings during the coronavirus crisis
The Church of England has said that no more than five people should attend weddings for the foreseeable future. These should be the vicar, the bride, the groom, and two witnesses.
This is the latest piece of the advice issued by the Church in its efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Earlier this week, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said public worship was "suspended until further notice."
UK government seeks sweeping new powers to tackle the Coronavirus
The UK government has just published its Coronavirus bill, which will give ministers sweeping new powers to tackle the pandemic in the UK.
The bill is over 300 pages long and contains huge new powers across large areas of public life.
Among the many powers it confers, the bill will enable the UK authorities to:
Close premises, or direct people not to enter them.
Force members of the public to be tested for coronavirus.
Fine them up to £1,000 if they refuse to comply.
Postpone or cancel elections.
The Premier League and other English football will be postponed 'indefinitely' until it is safe to resume the leagues
The Football Association, Premier League and other professional football bodies in England have agreed to postpone their competitions until April 30 at the earliest.
In a statement released on Thursday, they said they were prepared to extend competitions "indefinitely" until it was safe to resume the 2019/2020 season.
The bodies originally agreed to postpone competitions until April 4. However, the continued spread of coronavirus has forced them to postpone professional English football further.
It said: "We are united in our commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019/20 football season and ensuring all domestic and European club league and cup matches are played as soon as it is safe and possible to do so.
"We have collectively supported UEFA in postponing EURO 2020 to create space in the calendar to ensure domestic and European club league and cup matches have an increased opportunity to be played and, in doing so, maintain the integrity of each competition.
"The FA's Rules and Regulations state that "the season shall terminate not later than the 1 June" and "each competition shall, within the limit laid down by The FA, determine the length of its own playing season".
"However, The FA's Board has agreed for this limit to be extended indefinitely for the 2019/20 season in relation to Professional Football.
"Additionally, we have collectively agreed that the professional game in England will be further postponed until no earlier than 30 April."
Labour leadership frontrunner Keir Starmer urges Boris Johnson to give more support to workers
Labour leadership frontrunner Keir Starmer has called on Boris Johnson's government to protect the income of every worker in the UK, warning that the government was "still several steps behind where they need to be."
Starmer, who is likely to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as the next leader of the Labour Party, has urged Johnson to introduce a Danish-style system of subsidies for business facing job losses.
He has also called on statutory sick pay to be increased and extended to all those forced out of work by coronavirus, including the self-employed.
"These proposals are bold, but necessary," Starmer said.
"We are potentially days away from further social-distancing measures that will change British life. It is imperative that the Government acts to support workers to buy food, pay the bills and cover the cost of living."
The EU's chief Brexit negotiator has got coronavirus
Michel Barnier, the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, has tested positive for the coronavirus.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that services on the city's public transport network will be scaled back with up to 40 London Underground stations closed down as the city heads towards lockdown over the coronavirus.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1240522880754110464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw NEW: @TfL have announced a reduced service to enable key workers to make essential journeys.
➡️ Up to 40 stations now closed
➡️ Waterloo and City line and the Night Tube suspended from tomorrow
Schools across the UK will be closed from March 20.
Schools in the UK will be closed from next week as the government steps up its efforts to slow down the spread of coronavirus.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson on Wednesday afternoon told MPs that schools in England would close their gates on Friday and remain shut indefinitely.
The exceptions will be vulnerable children and children of key workers like NHS and emergency service staff.
This followed announcements from the Scottish and Welsh governments that they'd be taking the same action.
Labour MP Russell Lloyd-Moyle has just announced on social media that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1240322984587517952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw After a 6 day wait for results I have just been informed I have tested positive to COVID-19.
Schools in Scotland and Wales will close on March 20.
Schools in Scotland and Wales will close on Friday, March 20, as their devolved governments try to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned parents that schools might not re-open until the end of the summer term.
The government says it will increase coronavirus testing to 25,000 people a day in the next 4 weeks
NHS testing for coronavirus will be increased to 25,000 people a day in the next four weeks, the UK government has announced.
The government says this raise testing levels in the UK to those in China.
Over 50,000 people have been tested in the UK up to now.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "Public safety is my top priority, and radically ramping up testing for coronavirus is a key part of our plan to protect lives. We are already among the best in the world for coronavirus testing and today we are launching a national effort to increase our testing capability even further.
"Our aim is to protect life, protect the most vulnerable, and relieve pressure on our NHS – so it is right that we prioritise testing for those most at risk of severe illness. We will always do the right thing at the right time, based on the best scientific advice, and will do whatever it takes to protect life."
British MPs start social distancing in parliament
The House of Commons has cut the number of MPs being allowed to enter the House of Commons chamber for Prime Minister's Questions as the coronavirus spreads rapidly across Westminster.
Conservative and Labour whips both emailed their members instructing them only to appear in the Commons chamber if they had a question to ask the Prime Minister, the Independent reported.
Glastonbury is cancelled due to coronavirus
The organisers of Glastonbury Festival have cancelled this year's festival because of coronavirus. Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, and Kendrick Lemar were due to headline Britain's biggest music festival.
Ticket-holders will have the option to roll their tickets over to next year's festival.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1240230721060589569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw We are so sorry to announce this, but we are going to have to cancel Glastonbury 2020. Tickets for this year will roll over to next year. Full statement below and on our website. Michael & Emily pic.twitter.com/ox8kcQ0HoB
Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich to pay for NHS staff to say in a west London hotel for 2 months
Roman Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Chelsea FC, will pay for NHS staff to stay at the club's Millennium Hotel for two months.
"Chelsea Football Club is joining the medical response to the coronavirus outbreak in London with the news the National Health Service (NHS) has accepted the Club's offer to make the Millennium Hotel at Stamford Bridge available for NHS staff," the club said in a statement.
"The initiative came from club owner Roman Abramovich and, after contact with the NHS was made by Chairman Bruce Buck, it was decided the best way Chelsea can assist the NHS is to provide accommodation for NHS staff. Mr Abramovich will be covering the costs of providing the accommodation."
BBC postpones filming of Eastenders and other shows
Filming on popular BBC shows like EastEnders, Casualty, and Holby City will be postponed "until further notice" due to the outrbreak of coronavirus, the BBC has said in a statement.
Police will be able to detain coronavirus carriers under the government's new emergency coronavirus laws
Police will have the power to temporarily detain people who have caught coronavirus but are not self-isolating under emergency measures being prepared by the UK government.
Boris Johnson's government will put The Emergency Coronavirus Bill before Parliament on Wednesday.
If as expected it passes into law, it will allow:
Police and immigration officers to detain people who are a risk to public health
Retired health and social care workers to return to work
The creation of a compensation fund for people who take emergency leave from their jobs to volunteer in public services like the NHS
The government to shut down schools and mass gatherings
Ministers to close down ports and other transport hubs if there are staff shortages
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "The new measures we will be introducing in the Emergency Coronavirus Bill this week will only be used when it is absolutely necessary and must be timed to maximise their effectiveness, but crucially they give the government the powers it needs to protect lives.
"By planning for the worst and working for the best we will get through this, but this is a national effort and we must all work together — from businesses prioritising the welfare of their employees, to people thoroughly washing their hands.
"I also want to pay tribute to our brilliantly selfless NHS and social care staff who are working tirelessly to care for our friends and loved ones in this unprecedented period."
The government is to announce emergency measures for renters
UK Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick is due to make an announcement on how the government will protect renters whose incomes are disrupted by coronavirus.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma said on Wednesday morning that Jenrick would shortly be making an announcement.
Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are under pressure to protect renters after failing to mention them in the emergency measures revealed on Tuesday evening.
Sunak said there will be mortgage holidays for people who are struggling to pay them, meaning they will not have to make payments for three months.
Rishi Sunak announces enormous financial support for businesses
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced enormous financial support for businesses and workers in a bid to limit the economic impact of coronavirus.
Sunak said the government would make £330 billion of loans available to businesses which need them amid warnings that businesses nationwide and across several sectors could collapse.
The Chancellor also announced a three month suspension of mortgage payments for those struggling to pay, and said small businesses most vulnerable will be entitled to funding grants worth up to £25,000 each.
"We have never faced an economic fight like this one. We will do whatever it takes," he said.
However, Sunak and Johnson faced questions on how businesses would be able to pay back those loans, and what financial support renters would receive.
The Chancellor said he would make further announcements later in the week.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe released from Iranian prison for 2 weeks
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe — the British-Iranian dual citizen who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2016 — has been released on temporary furlow for two weeks.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe will be forced to wear an ankle tag and stay within 300 metres of her parents' home during the temporary release.
Nissan suspends car production in Sunderland as coronavirus disrupts supply chains
Carmaker Nissan says vehicle production has been suspended at its plant in Sunderland, northeast England plant due to supply chain disruption and a sharp drop in market demand.
The plant employs around 7,000 people.
The UK government insists that the Brexit transition period will not be delayed
The UK government continues to insist that it will not extend the Brexit transition period beyond the current end date of December 31, despite coronavirus forcing upcoming trade negotiations to be cancelled.
A Downing Street spokesperson says: "In light of the latest guidance on coronavirus, we will not formally be convening negotiating work strands tomorrow in the way we did in the previous round.
"We expect to share a draft FTA [free trade agreement] alongside the draft legal texts of a number of the standalone agreements in the near future still, as planned.
"Both sides remain fully committed to the negotiations and we remain in regular contact with the European Commission to consider alternative ways to continue discussions, including looking at the possibility of video conferencing or conference calls, and exploring flexibility in the structure for the coming weeks.
"The transition period ends on 31 December 2020. This is enshrined in UK law."
20,000 deaths or fewer would be best case scenario for the UK government
Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK government's chief chief scientific adviser, has just told MPs that a coronavirus death toll of 20,000 or below would be a "good outcome."
He said "seasonal flu tends to lead to 8,000 excess deaths, so if we can get [the number of deaths from covid19] down to 20,000 and below, that's a good outcome of where we would hope to get to with this outbreak, but I mean it is still horrible."
The Archbishop of Canterbury says public worship is suspended indefinitely
Public worship is "suspended until further notice", the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has just announced.
A Church of England spokesman said weddings and funerals could still go ahead.
Boris Johnson: "We are engaged in a war against the disease which we have to win"
Boris Johnson and his Cabinet have just discussed their plan to combat coronavirus.
The prime minister told his ministers "we are engaged in a war against the disease which we have to win," according to a readout of the meeting.
Downing Street said "Secretaries of State will hold sector specific roundtables including, but not limited to, aviation, retail, manufacturing, food, insurance, financial services, sport, entertainment and events, and tourism and hospitality."
Chancellor Rushi Sunak is to announce new economic measures to helping businesses deal with the impact of the virus later today.
UK government advises against all global travel
British people have been told to cancel all non-essential travel globally as the country ramps up its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The UK Foreign Secretary told the UK Parliament on Tuesday that it would advise British people not to leave the country for at least 3o days.
"UK travellers abroad now face widespread international border restrictions and lockdowns in various countries. The speed and range of those measures across other countries is unprecedented," Raab said.
"So I have taken the decision to advise British nationals against all non-essential international travel."
Boris Johnson's government drastically changed its coronavirus plan after realising only "in the last few days" that it would result in the deaths of up to 250,000 people, according to reports
The UK abruptly changed its strategy to cope with coronavirus yesterday after realising only "in the last few days" that its existing approach would result in the deaths of up to 250,000 people, according to a report by a team of disease experts who have advised the government on its scientific approach.
The report, from Imperial College's COVID-19 response team, said the UK had initially adopted a "mitigation" strategy, by which it would slow, but not necessarily stop, the spread of the disease.
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced yesterday to abandon that strategy and adopt more draconian measures to "suppress" the disease.
Tate has announced that it has closed all of its galleries across the country in a bid to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
In a statement, it said:
To all our supporters,
"For over 120 years we have been welcoming people to our galleries to enjoy great art from around the world. However, the welfare of our visitors and staff must always come first.
"That's why we are closing Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives from this evening, Tuesday 17 March until 1 May 2020. We will be reviewing this and keep you updated.
"We believe that access to art for everyone is a universal human right. Now more than ever, art can lift our spirits, brighten our days and support our mental health. So whilst our galleries are shut, we'll be sharing some ideas for how you can still enjoy the best of Tate online.
"If you have a ticket for an upcoming event or exhibition, we'll be in touch as soon as possible.
"Thank you for your support – we don't know yet when galleries will reopen, but we look forward to welcoming you back when they do.
"Until then, stay safe and take care."
London's public transport will run on a reduced service
London will reduce its public transport to weekend levels of service, mayor Sadiq Khan has said.
Khan told Sky News that the number of people using the Tube and London's other public transport had plummeted amid the outbreak of coronavirus.
"Frankly speaking we don't need the normal rush hour service we have," he said.
"I was on the tube today and it was 40 per cent down today than it was a few weeks ago, so we have got to recognise that and follow the advice from the experts."
British businesses ask Johnson for financial support to prevent jobs and companies being destroyed
As the stark reality of Boris Johnson's extraordinary press conference on Monday sets in, British businesses are pleading with him for financial support to prevent entire industries collapsing.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced a €300 billion support package, promising that "no business whatever its size will face risk of bankruptcy."
Johnson is under huge pressure to announce similar measures amid warnings that his policy of advising Brits to avoid pubs, cafes, and restaurants, but not telling them to close, will leave businesses unable to claim insurance to cover the huge loss in custom.
The hospitality sector is particularly worried.
UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: The PM's statement is the worst of all worlds, leaving businesses, guests and teams all unprotected and in limbo.
"No insurance will apply unless the government requires closure — and even then any payout will come far too late to save millions of jobs."
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announce a series of measures for keeping businesses afloat at a press conference on Tuesday.
Airlines, railway companies, construction firms, and sports teams are just some of other businesses seeking government help.
British people told to work at home and avoid social contact
"Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others, and to stop all non-essential travel," UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at a press conference on Monday.
"We need people to start working from home where they can and you should avoid pubs, clubs and other venues."
The prime minister said that anyone living in a household where an individual within that household had experienced symptoms of the coronavirus should isolate themselves for 14 days.
It means people from non-EU member states will not be allowed to enter the bloc unless they are long term residents of the EU, family members of EU nationals, diplomats, or essentials workers like doctors, nurses, and researchers. People transporting goods will aso be exempt from the ban.
However, the UK is set to exempt from these restrictions. Von der Leyen said "there are no restrictions for the UK citizens to travel to the continent."
Here's how the EU travel ban would work in practice
The EU on Monday said it would ask its 27 member states — plus European countries with close economic and political ties to the bloc — to impose a 30-day ban on non-essential travel.
The countries invited to implement the EU's proposal are its member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, the UK, and Ireland.
Is it a binding decision?
No. This is a proposal. It is up to EU member states and the other European countries invited to implement it whether they do or not. They could adopt the proposals in full, partially, or not at all.
Are there exemptions?
Yes. The proposed ban is on non-essential travel. But long term residents of the EU, family members of EU nationals, diplomats, and essentials workers like doctors, nurses, and researchers, are all exempt. People who commute across the EU's border are as well.
What does it mean for the UK?
Despite no longer being in the EU, the UK is in a transition period, during which it will continue to follow EU law. Because of this, UK citizens will continue to be treated as EU citizens and will exempt from the 30-day travel ban.
BBC delays license fee changes amid coronavirus chaos
The BBC has announced that it is delaying plans to abolish the free license fee for the over 75s until August. The policy was supposed to take effect on June 1.
The BBC has decided to keep the free license fee for the elderly until later in the year after it emerged that the UK government was planning to urge older people to stay at home for a period lasting up to four months.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1239520618393018371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Joint statement from the BBC and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport on TV Licenses for over 75s: https://t.co/udF0T37MWApic.twitter.com/fYAv9o5Pa2
Boris Johnson to speak to world leaders in G7 conference call
Boris Johnson will today speak to leaders of all the other G7 countries in a conference call, his spokesperson said on Monday morning, in what will be the first multilateral meeting of world leaders since the coronavirus outbreak.
Boris Johnson asks Britain's biggest manufactures to develop medical ventilators
Boris Johnson will today hold a conference call with some of Britain's biggest manufactures and ask them to develop ventilators for the over-stretched NHS, the FT reports.
Companies on the call are set to include JCB, Honda, Dyson, and Unipart Group.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last week that the UK's health service did not have enough ventilators and would need support from elsewhere.
The UK government is asking anyone who can develop medical ventilators to contact the business department's support helpline on 0300 456 3565.
A second MP tests positive for coronavirus
Labour MP for Jarrow Kate Osborne has announced she has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
Osborne is the second MP to catch coronavirus, the first being health minister Nadine Dorries.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1239458652525903873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw I have been diagnosed with Coronavirus (#covidー19uk) following a period of self isolation and subsequent testing.
Another MP, Labour's Bell Ribeiro Addy, said she was self-isolating after experiencing coronavirus symptoms over the weekend.
Boris Johnson to host daily coronavirus press conferences
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other senior members of his government will hold daily press conferences on the coronavirus crisis from now on, Downing Street announced on Sunday evening.
The events follow a growing storm of criticism about the government's communications strategy during the outbreak. Briefings that the government was aiming for "herd immunity" and other major developments in the UK's response being briefed out to select journalists have triggered heavy criticism from both the government's opponents as well as privately from Johnson's own side. This appears to be an attempt to quell the criticism.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister and this Government are committed to keeping the public informed every step of the way about what we're doing to fight the spread of coronavirus, when we're doing it and why we're doing it. At all times we will be led by the science to bring forward the right responses at the right time to this global pandemic."
Newborn baby in London becomes youngest person in the world to test positive for coronavirus
A newborn baby has reportedly become the youngest person in the world to test positive for the novel coronavirus.
The baby's mother was rushed to hospital in London with suspected pneumonia a few days ago, the Sun reported.
Once it was ascertained that both mother and baby had coronavirus, they were placed in separate hospitals overnight to receive treatment.
It's unknown whether the baby contracted the virus in the womb or during the labour.
UK government will ban large public events and mass gatherings in coronavirus u-turn
Boris Johnson has u-turned and decided to ban large scale events in the UK from next week, despite all but ruling it out just days ago.
A Whitehall source said: "Ministers are working with the chief scientific adviser and chief medical officer on our plan to stop various types of public event, including mass gatherings, beginning next week."
The source added that they would also look at encouraging more people to work from home, saying: "We are also talking to businesses and other bodies about the timing of moving towards much more widespread working from home."
The u-turn comes despite Johnson saying earlier this week that: "on the issue of mass gathering, sporting events and so on, it is very important we are guided by the science. There is very little medical reason at the moment to ban such events."
Emergency legislation will also be passed next week giving the government emergency powers to detain sufferers of the virus.
The London Marathon has been postponed
The 2020 London Marathon was due to take place on April 26, but it has been postponed to October 4.
The announcement is the latest sporting event to be cancelled, alongside the suspension of the Premier League and Europa League, the postponing of Six Nations matches, and the cancellation of England's cricket tour of Sri Lanka.
The Olympics in Japan this summer are currently still set to go ahead.
Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood said: "I am saddened to report that a patient in Scotland who has tested positive for Coronavirus has died in hospital. I offer my deepest sympathy to their friends and family at this difficult time.
"The patient, who was being treated by Lothian Health Board was an older person who had underlying health conditions. No further information will be available to protect patient confidentiality."
This brings the total number of coronavirus deaths in the UK to 11.
May elections postponed amid fears they would coincide with coronavirus peak
Boris Johnson has decided to postpone local elections due to take place in May amid fears that they would coincide with the peak of the coronavirus in the UK.
This includes London's mayoral election.
The UK tells British people not to travel to certain parts of Spain
The Foreign Office has advised British people not to travel to parts of Spain where there have been acute coronavirus outbreaks.
In a statement, the FCO said: "We are advising against all but essential travel to the regions of Madrid, La Rioja and the municipalities of La Bastida, Vitoria and Miranda de Ebro. Airlines are continuing to run flights as normal to and from these areas."
What to do if you need to stay at home and self-isolate because of the coronavirus
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday said that anyone who has even mild symptoms of the coronavirus should stay at home and self-isolate for at least seven days.
Premier League and all other professional football suspended until April 3
The Premier League, English Football League and other footballing authorities in England have all agreed to postpone the professional game until April 3 at the earliest, it has just been announced.
English Football League games postponed until April 4
The English Football League has decided to suspend all fixtures until at least Saturday, April 4.
This means there will be no Championship, League One, or League Two games until next month at the earliest.
A London Underground driver has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus
A London Underground driver has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, Transport for London has just announced.
It said that the driver was not working in a customer-facing area and where they worked is being cleaned, including the trains.
UEFA postpones all competitions including the Champions League
UEFA — Europe's chief football authority — has announced that its competitions have been suspended due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
Champions League and Europa League games scheduled for next week have been postponed.
This includes fixtures like Manchester City vs Real Madrid, Bayern Munich vs Chelsea, and Barcelona vs Napoli.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan named as Cabinet minister in isolation
The Cabinet minister who has been in isolation has just been named as International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
Trevelyan tested negative for coronavirus but is spending seven days in self-isolation to be safe.
Premier League to hold emergency talks
The Premier League will today hold emergency talks on how to respond to the outbreak of coronavirus as it spreads throughout the country's biggest football teams.
Arsenal announced on Thursday evening that manager Mikel Arteta had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. As has Chelsea attacker, Callum Hudson-Odi.
The Premier League is expected to suspend the competition for several weeks.
Brexit trade talks cancelled because of the coronavirus
The next round of post-Brexit trade talks between the United Kingdom and the European Union have been cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis.
"Given the latest COVID-19 developments, UK and EU negotiators have today jointly decided not to hold next week's round of negotiations in London, in the form originally scheduled," they said in a statement.
However, they added that "Both sides are currently exploring alternative ways to continue discussions, including if possible the use of video conferences."
The real number of coronavirus cases in the UK could be much higher than we think
The UK government believes that up to 10,000 have already been infected with the coronavirus, despite there being just 590 confirmed cases in the country.
The government's chief scientific advisor, Patrick Vallance, said on March 12 that the number of actual cases was likely to be much higher than the number of confirmed cases because many people have not yet been tested.
Speaking alongside Boris Johnson, the prime minister, Vallance said the fact that more than 20 patients were in intensive care meant that it was statistically likely that thousands of cases were undiagnosed.
"There are more than 20 patients on intensive care units," he said. "If you calculate what that really means in terms of the total number, it's much more likely that we've got somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 people infected at the moment."
Brits with even mild coronavirus symptoms told to stay at home for 7 days
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told British people with even mild symptoms of the coronavirus to stay at home for at least seven days, warning that the virus "is the worst public health crisis for a generation."
He also warned that "Many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time."
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1238147905141329921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw "More families are going to lose loved ones before their time."
Trump defends excluding the UK from his coronavirus travel ban
President Donald Trump on March 12 defended excluding the United Kingdom from his European coronavirus travel ban, saying that the country is "doing a good job."
The president's comments came after the number of confirmed cases in the UK rose by almost 30% in just one day.
Trump's decision to exclude the UK and Ireland from the European ban raised eyebrows after it was pointed out that both countries host golf clubs owned by the president.
The Electoral Commission, the independent body for overseeing UK elections, has advised Boris Johnson's government to postpone local elections scheduled for May, including London's mayoral election.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1238141167319031808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw We've written to the UK Government to recommend that the May polls be postponed until the autumn as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This is due to growing risks to the delivery of the polls & to mitigate the impact on voters, campaigners & electoral administrators.
Nicola Sturgeon confirms UK has moved to 'delay'
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who attended the emergency Cobra meeting of UK leaders and advisers where the decision was taken, told a press conference on March 12: "The decision has been taken that we have now moved from a contain phase into the delay phase, where the objective is to seek to slow down the spread of the virus."
She said the government would introduce new measures to protect vulnerable groups who are most at risk of dying from the virus.
She said the Scottish government would be advising those people with a fever or a persistent cough, which can indicate coronavirus, to stay at home and self-isolate for seven days.
Real Madrid players told to self-isolate for 2 weeks
Real Madrid football players have been told to self-isolate for 15 days after one of Real Madrid's basketball players tested positive for coronavirus.
The move means Manchester City's Champions League game with Real Madrid scheduled for next week almost certainly won't go ahead.
La Liga — the Spanish football league — has decided to postpone the next two rounds of fixtures.
EU slams Trump's European travel ban
The EU's two most senior figures have slammed Donald Trump's move to temporarily ban millions of Europeans from traveling to the US.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel criticised Trump for failing to consult with European countries before taking the decision.
"The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action," the statement said.
"The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to improve a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation."
Boris Johnson to introduce social distancing methods today
Measures under consideration include population distancing-strategies such as school closures, encouraging more people to work from home and banning mass gatherings.
Six MPs placed in isolation as more ministers are tested for coronavirus
Six Members of Parliament are in self-isolation as fears grow that the coronavirus is spreading throughout Westminster, the Daily Telegraph reports.
A second health minister in the government, Edward Argar, is also in self-isolation after dining with Dorries. Argar was seen coughing at the House of Commons despatch box on Tuesday.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1238023750882414592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw The Health Minister Edward Argar has been placed in self-isolation after dining with Nadine Dorries according to the Telegraph. Here he is coughing at the despatch box on Tuesday. https://t.co/iqLsDBvtq5pic.twitter.com/Ta1Cx35sjd
Labour MP Rachael Maskell tweeted earlier this week that she had also been advised to stay at home after meeting with Dorries last Thursday.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1237661132732669954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw NHS111 have advised that I self-isolate as a result of a meeting I had with the Government's Mental Health Minister last Thursday who has subsequently tested positive for Coronovirus. Thankfully I am asymptomatic. It is so important that we all follow all public health advice.
Maskell also called on the Prime Minister to take similar measures, having also met with Dorries last week.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1237686619693551616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw "I I trust the PM has also contacted NHS 111... he must take that public health advice in the same way that I have"
UK expected to move to 'delay' phase of coronavirus response
The UK is expected to move into the "delay" phase of coronavirus response on Thursday. Government sources said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of emergency group COBRA around lunchtime, and that it is expected that the government will shift to a "delay" phase of its response to COVID-19.
The move is an effective admission that efforts to contain the spread the novel coronavirus in the United Kingdom has failed, and that the government is now focused on trying to slow its growth and mitigate its impacts.
UK sets up second drive-thru coronavirus test site
The UK has set up drive-thru coronavirus test sites as the number of cases across the country surged.
Health authorities have set up a new site in Wolverhampton, England, as part of a drive to ramp up the number of tests being carried out every day to 10,000, Sky News reported.
The first drive-thru test centre opened in Edinburgh, Scotland, in February.
UK Chancellor reveals emergency coronavirus measures
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has revealed a package of emergency measures to shore up the UK economy ahead of a likely coronavirus epidemic.
He told Members of Parliament that he would inject a £30 billion fiscal stimulus into the economy.
Among the measures are the scrapping of business rates for small businesses this year and a boost for funding of the NHS.
Michael Gove says the next round of Brexit trade talks might have to be cancelled
The next round of trade talks between the UK and EU might have to be cancelled due to coronavirus, government minister Michael Gove has suggested.
Gove, who is overseeing UK preparations for life after Brexit, told MPs that it was a "live question" whether the talks scheduled for next week would go ahead as planned.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not be tested for the coronavirus despite recently meeting with his health minister who has now been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Manchester City's fixture against Arsenal is postponed
Manchester City's game versus Arsenal scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed, making it the first Premier League fixture to be impacted by coronavirus.
The decision was taken on March 11 to postpone the game after it emerged that Arsenal players had recently interacted with Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis, who has contracted the virus.
Bank of England slashes interest rates to 0.25% in emergency coronavirus move
A minister in Boris Johnson's government has caught coronavirus
UK health minister Nadine Dorries has caught coronavirus.
Dorries, a minister in Boris Johnson's government, announced on Tuesday evening that she was in isolation after first experiencing COVID-19 symptoms last week.
She had interacted with the prime minister in the days leading up to her diagnosis.
Coronavirus forces major football teams like Chelsea, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona to play behind closed doors
Some of the world's biggest football teams will play in empty stadiums tonight and tomorrow as the sport's authorities try to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Four fixtures in Europe's most prestigious club competition — The Champions League — will be played behind closed doors. They are:
Bayern Munich vs Chelsea
Valencia vs Atalanta
PSG vs Borussia Dortmund
Barcelona vs Napoli
And on Thursday, Manchester United's Europa League game against LASK in Linz, Austria will also be played behind closed doors.
International football is being impacted, too.
Ticket sales for Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off game versus Bosnia-Herzegovina have been postponed. Tickets were scheduled to go on sale tomorrow.
British Airways cancels all Italian flights
British Airways has announced that it has cancelled all flights to and from Italy.
A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday morning that the government has booked a hotel near Heathrow airport in order to isolate people arriving from Italy.
The Italian government on Monday, March 10, took the extraordinary step of putting the entire population on lock down. Over 9,000 people have been infected there, with 464 deaths, as of Tuesday morning.
UK citizens with even mild symptoms of coronavirus will soon have to self-isolate for 7 days
Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street alongside the government's chief scientific and medical advisers, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters that:
Attempts to contain the coronavirus are "extremely unlikely" to be effective.
The UK will therefore soo move to delay the peak of the coronavirus because "the more we can delay the peak of the epidemic to the summer the more likely the NHS will be able to cope."
The Chief Medical Office Chris Whitty said that social-distancing methods such as bans on mass gatherings and encouraging people to work at home should not be taken too early as they would be difficult to maintain.
However, he said measures to encourage "self-isolation" of anyone potentially suffering from the virus would likely be taken within the next two weeks.
"Probably within the next 10-14 days [we will] say everybody who has even minor respiratory tract infections or a fever, should be self-isolating for seven days afterwards," he told reporters.
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1237062629652336640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw "Containment is extremely unlikely to work on its own"
UK government prepares for coronavirus to 'spread in a significant way'
Boris Johnson's government remains focused on containing coronavirus but expects it to "spread in a significant way" in the coming days and weeks, his spokesperson said on Monday.
"We remain in the contain phase, but it is now accepted that this virus is going to spread in a significant way and that's why officials have been working at speed on further steps we can take to delay the spread of the virus," the prime minister's spokesperson told journalists at a regular Downing Street briefing attended by Business Insider.
Johnson was still chairing a COBRA meeting with senior ministers and health officials when his spokesperson briefed the UK press at Monday lunchtime.
The prime minister's spokesperson also said:
- Brits returning from quarantined areas of northern Italy are urged to self-isolate for two weeks — even if they do not have coronavirus symptoms.
Johnson's spokesperson said: "For those returning from Italy, Public Health England have advised that anyone returning from locked-down areas should self-isolate for 14 days regardless of whether they show symptoms.
"People returning from the rest of Italy should isolate if they are showing symptoms."
- There are still no plans to close the Houses of Parliament.
"The prime minister set out last week that he didn't believe there was any reason why parliament should close and as much as possible, based on medical advice, it should carry on as normal," they said.
"I would expect [the parliamentary authorities] to be guided by scientific advice."
There were reports last week that Westminster could be closed for five months amid fears that MPs and Lords could be "super-spreaders" of the COVID-19 virus.
The UK economy is plummeting amid coronavirus fears
Britain's markets are taking a battering as coronavirus continues to grip the country.
London's FTSE Index fell by almost 9% when trading opened on Monday morning, putting it on course for its biggest fall in a single day since the Lehman Brothers crash in 2008.
UK Chancellor Ruski Sunak is set to announce measures for dealing with the financial impact of the COVID-19 virus when he delivers the government's budget on Wednesday.
European Commission President Von Der Leyen on Monday morning said that the virus had inflicted huge damage on the whole European economy.
"The spread of the virus has a vast impact on people's lives but it also has a vast impact on our economy," she said.
"We are looking into everything that we can do to help to address the impacts on the economy."
Transport for London staff member tests positive for coronavirus
Transport for London — the organisation responsible for operating London's public transport — says that a member of staff has tested positive for coronavirus.
A TfL spokesperson on Monday said that "a deep clean has taken place within the building used by the staff member."
The staff member reportedly works at one of TfL's above-ground offices and not on the Underground.
Boris Johnson to chair emergency COBRA meeting as the UK moves to delay Coronavirus epidemic
Boris Johnson will on Monday morning chair an emergency meeting of the UK government's COBRA committee.
The UK Prime Minister will meet with senior ministers and the government's health and scientific advisers.
"The number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in the UK and around the world," Johnson will tell the meeting.
"We are well prepared and will continue to make decisions to protect the public based on the latest scientific advice.
"Tackling Coronavirus will require a national and international effort. I am confident the British people are ready to play their part in that.
"The most valuable thing people can do is wash their hands with soap and water for twenty seconds."
The meeting comes as the government prepares to officially move the UK towards the "delay" phase of its four-point action plan for tackling the coronavirus.
The delay phase will likely involve advice to limit human contact and unnecessary travel, with many workers advised to work from home where possible.
Johnson announced a £46 million package for accelerating efforts to find a coronavirus vaccine.
"Keeping the British people safe is my number one priority, and that's why I've set out our four-part plan to contain, delay, mitigate and research coronavirus,"Johnson said in a statement on Friday.
"We are ensuring the country is prepared for the current outbreak, guided by the science at every stage. But we also need to invest now in researching the vaccines that could help prevent future outbreaks.
"I'm very proud that UK experts — backed by government funding — are on the front line of global efforts to do just that."
UK airlines are running empty flights out of Europe.
Airlines operating out of Europe have run "ghost" flights, without any passengers on board, during the coronavirus outbreak to get around rules that could see them lose their flight slots.
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has written to regulators asking for a suspension of the rules amid an increasingly gloomy outlook for the industry.
The UK airline Flybe collapsed earlier this week, though it said its financial problems existed long before the outbreak.
There is little chance of a coronavirus vaccine appearing this year.
The UK's chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, told BBC Radio 4's "Today" program on Friday that this coronavirus outbreak could become an annual outbreak.
"I don't think we'll get something in time and at scale for this outbreak," he said. "That said, there have been remarkable changes in the ability to make vaccines and discover vaccines just in the last few years. And so things have progressed much more quickly than they would have done in the past, and it's not unreasonable to assume that we will end up with a vaccine and we may do so in a year, 18 months."
Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1235861256449298432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Sir Patrick Vallance - the UK's Chief Scientific Officer - has told #R4Today he doesn't believe a vaccine will be ready in time for the current #coronavirus outbreak.
British people with flu-like symptoms could be told to stay at home.
March 3: UK citizens with flu-like symptoms could be told to stay at home even if they haven't traveled to countries heavily affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
Other measures, including plans to reduce big gatherings, are also being considered.
"You've got a range of things that you can do to arrest or check the spread of a disease," Johnson said this week. "But you can't fire your shots too early."
Funerals could be livestreamed if the outbreak escalates.
Funerals could be affected by any ban on large public gatherings.
The National Association of Funeral Directors told Sky News on Thursday that it had spoken with Johnson's government about the steps it could take if the outbreak becomes an epidemic in the UK.
One option would be to livestream funerals, the group said.
"As well as supporting the government and local authorities in managing the impact of the additional deaths, funeral directors would be focused on helping families who lose a loved one during that time in finding meaningful ways to say goodbye — even if the funeral they would have preferred isn't possible," the group told Sky News.
"One option might include the webcasting of funeral services, as many crematoria now have these facilities — or holding a separate memorial service at a later date."
Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty confirmed Britain's first coronavirus-related death on Thursday.
March 5: The woman was thought to have contracted the virus in the UK and hadn't traveled to other countries affected by the outbreak, suggesting it's spreading in the UK.
"I am very sorry to report a patient in England who tested positive for Covid-19 has sadly died,"Whitty said.
"I offer my sincere condolences to their family and friends and ask that their request for privacy is respected.
"The patient, who was being treated at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, was an older patient who had underlying health conditions. We believe they contracted the virus in the UK and contact tracing is already underway."
In a statement, Johnson said his "sympathies are very much with the victim and their family."
Johnson said school closures "don't work as well" as people might think.
Johnson has sought to play down the threat of the outbreak.
"Slightly counterintuitively, things like closing schools and stopping big gatherings don't work as well, perhaps, as people think," he said.
He added, "As far as possible, it should be business as usual for the vast majority of people."
The British government has stopped trying to contain the virus and is now trying to delay it, Whitty said on Thursday.
Whitty said that containing the spread of the virus among the early few patients who caught it is very unlikely and that the government was focused on trying to delay the outbreak until the spring.
Whitty said that approach — which overlaps in many ways with "contain"— had several benefits. Delaying could mean that the National Health Service is in a better position to respond and that the disease could be better managed, possibly with new drugs.
Additionally, delaying an outbreak until the spring or summer could mean the rate of infection goes down, as is generally the case with flu.
While people are dreaming of returning to restaurants and bars following the coronavirus outbreak, some experts say that the pandemic will create long-term changes in the industry.
Similar to how September 11 changed the airline industry, experts say that customers' fears and new precautions will force restaurants to adapt to a new normal.
Some possible changes include customer temperature checks, fewer people being allowed in a restaurant, and the decline of crowded bars and even intimate dates.
Many are dreaming about what they'll do when the coronavirus pandemic is behind us.
People are already imagining their first weekend when things are back to normal, a time filled with restaurants, bars, and all the socializing people around the world will have avoided for weeks and even months.
But, experts say, even when restaurants are once again allowed to open seating areas, it seems unlikely that things will return to the way they were pre-COVID-19.
Roger Lipton, a restaurant industry analyst, investor, and advisor, predicts that this will change the restaurant industry "like 9/11 changed our lives." While once people were able to casually walk onto planes, Americans have now accepted new levels of security as the norm.
"There's going to be a new normal in terms of our lifestyle," Lipton told Business Insider. "I'm inclined to think that we're not going to be back to so-called normal operations for the foreseeable future."
Lipton continued: "I don't see Cheesecake Factory packing them in anytime soon. ... When is Olive Garden going to be packed again? When are they going to seat people like they used to? I don't see that happening for quite awhile. Probably years."
Here are a few ways that the coronavirus pandemic may transform the restaurant industry.
Chains including McDonald's, Burger King, and Popeyes are rolling out temperature checks. Lipton says that, as restaurants begin opening dining rooms, people may need to have their temperature tested before they are allowed to sit down.
Social distancing may mean fewer tables and less crowded dining rooms.
Pacific Management Consulting Group founder John Gordon said restaurants would likely continue some social distancing measures when they reopen, putting more space between tables and packing fewer customers into dining rooms.
"A Friday night, Saturday night, a busy Sunday, you are not going to be able to be able to ... produce the same number of bodies, the same amount of sales because of the need to provide some social distance between guests," Gordon said.
Cozy, crowded bars could suffer.
Bars — especially those in cities that typically have a crush of customers crowding around — will need to adjust to a new normal in which close contact still concerns many people, Gordon says.
"That's an area that might lag considerably because of the social distancing issue," Gordon said. "Even two people on a date, there might be a little bit more distancing."
As the US economy hurtles into a severe recession, Goldman Sachs is telling investors how they can target the companies with the best sales growth this year.
The firm expects the looming recession to wipe out corporate earnings, which have historically been the primary source of stock market returns. That means it's especially important to identify companies capable of continued revenue and profit growth.
While shutdown measures are halting a lot of spending and business activity, chief US equity strategist David Kostin says some large US companies will still put up strong revenue growth.
By now it's probably sunk in that growth is going to be hard to find in 2020, which means investors are going to appreciate any help they can get in finding it.
All of that means trouble for company profits. And if that weren't enough, one of the key sources of profit growth is likely to slack off, too. Investors looking for areas of growth and optimism might want to consider sales instead, as it's a simpler measurement that isn't as susceptible to financial engineering.
And believe it or not, there are still some companies that look promising in that regard.
Goldman Sachs chief US equity strategist David Kostin has brought some of them together by looking at the largest US companies and finding the firms with the highest projected sales growth, based on consensus estimates. The list excludes the largest utilities, banks, and real estate companies, as those tend to have slower growth.
Here are the top 12 companies based on sales projections, ranked from lowest to highest based on their expected revenue growth in 2020.
Netflix's hit true-crime docuseries "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness"continues to enthrall audiences, as does its Spanish language crime drama "Money Heist," which debuted its fourth season on April 3.
Every week, Parrot Analytics provides Business Insider with a list of the nine most in-demand TV shows on streaming services in the US.
The data is based on "demand expressions," Parrot Analytics' globally standardized TV-demand measurement unit. Audience demand reflects the desire, engagement, and viewership weighted by importance, so a stream or a download is a higher expression of demand than a "like" or a comment on social media, for instance.
Below are this week's nine most popular original shows on Netflix and other streaming services:
Description: "Witness the birth of the Mexican drug war in the 1980s as a gritty new ‚Narcos' saga chronicles the true story of the Guadalajara cartel's ascent."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 87%
What critics said:"Cartel dramas like Narcos are fairy tales for a nation in decline, flattening diverse and complicated countries for the benefit of a nation that refuses to acknowledge the havoc it has wreaked on the world."— The Verge (Season 2)
Season 2 premiered February 13 on Netflix. See more insights here.
8. "The Witcher" (Netflix)
Average demand expressions: 39,527,777
Description: "Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster-hunter for hire, journeys toward his destiny in a turbulent world where people often prove more wicked than beasts."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 1): 67%
What critics said:"Who was that character? Which group do they belong to again? What timeline are we in? The whirlwind of scarcely explained backstory turns you into your hopelessly lost parent who just can't seem to figure out how to DVR Criminal Minds."— Observer(Season 1)
Season 1 premiered on Netflix on December 20. See more insights here.
7. "Titans" (DC Universe)
Average demand expressions: 42,527,532
Description: "'Titans' follows young heroes from across the DC Universe as they come of age and find belonging in a gritty take on the classic Teen Titans franchise. Dick Grayson and Rachel Roth, a special young girl possessed by a strange darkness, get embroiled in a conspiracy that could bring Hell on Earth. Joining them along the way are the hot-headed Starfire and lovable Beast Boy. Together they become a surrogate family and team of heroes."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 81%
What critics said:"This hard-hitting drama provided much of the talented cast with some juicy material, while also allowing the show to continue to go from strength-to-strength.Æ — What Culture (Season 2)
Season 2 premiered on DC Universe on September 6. See more insights here.
6. "Ozark" (Netflix)
Average demand expressions: 46,027,258
Description: "A financial adviser drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder $500 million in five years to appease a drug boss."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 3): 97%
What critics said:"Season three is the best season of the series so far. The story line arc works pretty well, with seeds planted early on that bloom in the later episodes."— Boston Globe (Season 3)
Season 3 premiered March 27 on Netflix. See more insights here.
5. "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (Disney Plus)
Average demand expressions: 49,589,639
Description: "From Dave Filoni, director and executive producer of 'The Mandalorian,' the new Clone Wars episodes will continue the storylines introduced in the original series, exploring the events leading up to 'Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.'"
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 7): 100%
What critics said:"Poorly paced though this arc has been, it does ultimately provide a satisfying look at Ahsoka's uncertain place in the galaxy post-Jedi Order."— IGN (season 7)
Season 7 premiered on February 21 on Disney Plus. See more insights here.
4. "The Mandalorian" (Disney Plus)
Average demand expressions: 54,337,757
Description: "After the fall of the Empire, a lone gunfighter makes his way through the lawless galaxy."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 1): 93%
What critics said:"For all its sci-fi stiltedness, The Mandalorian founded a compelling myth, a world of paranoia, ethical dilemmas and, aah, tiny space kitten things. Just don't take it too seriously."— Times (Season 1)
Season 1 premiered on Disney Plus on November 12. See more insights here.
3. "Money Heist (La Casa de Papel)" (Netflix)
Average demand expressions: 56,827,117
Description:"Eight thieves take hostages and lock themselves in the Royal Mint of Spain as a criminal mastermind manipulates the police to carry out his plan."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 4): 71%
What critics said:"The star rating here is for the series as a whole, which is peerless escapism. But ennui is setting in."— Independent (Season 4)
Season 4 premiered on Netflix April 3. See more insights here.
2. "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness" (Netflix)
Average demand expressions: 64,243,830
Description:"A zoo owner spirals out of control amid a cast of eccentric characters in this true murder-for-hire story from the underworld of big cat breeding."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 1): 89%
What critics said:"A compelling series in fits and starts that doesn't amount to much more than a trip through an extremely strange world filled with extremely strange people."— Newsday (Season 1)
Season 1 premiered on Netflix March 20. See more insights here.
1. "Stranger Things" (Netflix)
Average demand expressions: 66,740,601
Description: "When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 3): 89%
What critics said:"The rhythm of 'Stranger Things' has never been tighter, but it helps that the cast feels elevated as well."— RogerEbert.com (Season 3)
Season 3 premiered July 4 on Netflix. See more insights here.
From Albert Einstein to Joan Didion and Mark Twain, many of the world's most famous thinkers created some of their best work at home.
Whether it was in a sky-high Manhattan apartment, a Connecticut farmhouse, a Revolutionary War-era home, or a Malibu mansion, these influential people all worked out of their homes at one point in their lives.
Here are 15 photos that show the working-from-home spaces of famous scholars, artists, and writers throughout history.
Jane Austen, the author of classic novels like "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma," is one of the most acclaimed female writers of all time — and wrote many of her works from home.
Jane Austen's writing desk can be seen at the Jane Austen House Museum near Alton, Hampshire, in the United Kingdom.
Before her death in 1817, Austen published four novels: "Pride and Prejudice,""Sense and Sensibility,""Emma," and "Mansfield Park." Two other novels, "Persuasion" and "Northanger Abbey," were published together posthumously.
Charlotte Brontë was an English novelist and poet who wrote many of her novels from her family's home.
Her most famous novels include "Jane Eyre,""Villette," and "Tales of Angria."
The Brontë sisters wrote a majority of their novels in their home in Haworth, West Yorkshire. In 1928, the Brontë home was converted into a museum and later refurbished to reflect the style of the 1850s. Many artifacts, like Charlotte Brontë's writing desk, are on display.
Charles Dickens wrote the classic novels "Oliver Twist,""A Tale of Two Cities,""Great Expectations," and more from his home office.
The writing desk at which Dickens wrote "Great Expectations,""Our Mutual Friend," and other, later novels was purchased in 2015 by the Charles Dickens Museum, which is located at the site of one of Dickens' former homes in London.
Not all great minds had the luxury of private offices and studios — founding father John Adams practiced law in the kitchen of his farmhouse in Braintree, Massachusetts.
John Adams served as the United States' first vice president and then became the second president of the United States, holding office from 1797 to 1801.
Leo Tolstoy wrote "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina" at his home, Yasnaya Polyana, in Russia.
Mark Twain began writing "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" from his study at Quarry Farm in Elmira, New York.
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is considered one of the great American novels and follows the story of a young boy growing up in the antebellum South on the Mississippi River.
Sigmund Freud wrote most of his theories within the walls of his Vienna home.
The home, where Freud lived for 47 years, also served as the "father of psychoanalysis's" practice.
Albert Einstein purchased his home in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1936, and lived and worked there until his death in 1955.
Ronald Clark, the author of the biography "Einstein: The Life and Times,"wrote that"his study in Mercer Street was his natural habitat. It was here that he could best carry on his main work and continue his stubborn rearguard battle against the new movements in physics which he had started nearly a third of a century ago."
Irish author and dramatist George Bernard Shaw wrote a majority of his works in his London apartment but later moved to his country home after his wife passed away.
Civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. worked out of his home office in Montgomery, Alabama.
In 1956, the same year that this photo of Martin Luther King, Jr. working in his home office was taken, an assassination attempt was made on the civil rights activist after a bomb was set off at the home.
However, the King family continued to live in the home until 1960. The small house is now known as the Dexter Parsonage Museum.
American sculptor Alexander Calder created some of his greatest works in his studio.
Located inside Calder's New England country home, the glass-walled studio, which Calder's wife, Perl, called a "wonderland, the air crowded with mobiles and pieces of mobiles," according to Town and Country Magazine.
However, the home's motto may as well have been "work hard, play hard," as Calder was known for throwing wild parties at the Connecticut farmhouse.
"People describe it like a bacchanal, with partners throwing each other through the living room," Perl said.
Edward Albee, the playwright of works such as "The Sandbox" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" often worked out of his Greenwich Village apartment.
Children's book author Roald Dahl built a "writing hut" in the garden of his home in Great Missenden, England.
Described as a "deeply personal" space by the Roald Dahl Museum, the "writing hut" was filled with personal artifacts and mementos that Dahl liked to keep close by while he dreamed up new stories.
"When I am up here I see only the paper I am writing on, and my mind is far away with Willy Wonka or James or Mr. Fox or Danny or whatever else I am trying to cook up. The room itself is of no consequence. It is out of focus, a place for dreaming and floating and whistling in the wind, as soft and silent and murky as a womb," Dahl wrote in "Roald Dahl: From the Inside Out — the Author Speaks."
Writer Joan Didion and novelist John Gregory Dunne often wrote together in the library of their Malibu, California, home.
Didion is famous for her "lucid prose style" and commentary on modern American life in the 1960s and 1970s.
Didion also wrote a number of screenplays with her husband, John Gregory Dunne, including collaborating on the 1976 adaptation of "A Star is Born" starring Barbra Streisand, "Panic in Needle Park," and "True Confessions."
Legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld had his own studio inside his Paris apartment.
After leaving his post as a creative director for a major French fashion label in 1961, Lagerfeld began designing collections for legendary brands including Chloe and Fendi.
According to Biography.com, Lagerfeld had a deep appreciation for designs of the past, and often gathered inspiration from flea markets, oftentimes buying old wedding dresses he would then deconstruct and reimagine in his studio.
