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Wednesday April 15 2020 | thetimes.co.uk | No 73134 2G £1.10 to subscribers
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British drugs giant in deal with rival to make vaccine on huge scale
Ben Martin Senior City Correspondent of this year. They want to make a vac- index of Britain’s biggest companies treatment could be manufactured that it is developing. GSK will contrib-
cine available a year later if the project and generated sales of almost £33.8 bil- quickly on the large scale required to ute its adjuvant technology, which
One of Britain’s biggest drug compa- succeeds and regulators grant approval. lion last year, £7.2 billion of which came tackle the pandemic. It normally takes boosts an antigen’s potency. This makes
nies is teaming up with a French rival to Emma Walmsley, chief executive of from its vaccines division. It is one of at least a decade to develop a vaccine smaller doses more effective and may
develop a coronavirus vaccine and GSK, the biggest vaccine maker, said the four companies that dominate the from scratch but drug companies and mean that more of the vaccine can be
manufacture hundreds of millions of tie-up was unprecedented. She added: vaccines industry, the others being research institutes are scrambling to manufactured.
doses. “We’re committed to making any Sanofi, which is based in Paris, and the find one much more quickly. Ms Walmsley, 50, said: “We believe
GlaxoSmithKline is to work with vaccine that’s developed through the American rivals Pfizer and Merck. Sanofi will bring to the partnership a that if we’re successful we’ll be able to
Sanofi on a treatment that they hope to collaboration affordable to the public.” The tie-up is significant because it Covid-19 antigen — a molecule that make hundreds of millions of doses
test on humans during the second half GSK is listed in the FTSE 100 share raises the prospect that a Covid-19 helps the body to produce antibodies — Continued on page 2, col 5
Two million RAOUL DIXON/NNP Record weekly
death toll as
could lose fearful patients
avoid hospitals
jobs in the
Kat Lay Health Correspondent
England and Wales have experienced a
record number of deaths in a single
week, with 6,000 more than average for
this time of year.
lockdown
Only half of those extra numbers
were attributed to the coronavirus.
Experts said they were shocked by the
rise, particularly in non-Covid-19
deaths, and expressed concern that the
lockdown might be having unintended
Economy may shrink by a third, watchdog warns consequences for people’s health.
There are fears that patients are not
seeking help for life-threatening condi-
Oliver Wright, Philip Aldrick It would then return almost to the origi- tions, including heart attacks, because
Gurpreet Narwan nal level by 2023. they are worried about catching
Speaking at the government’s daily coronavirus in hospital.
Britain should prepare for tough times briefing, Rishi Sunak admitted that he Experts said that conditions such as
ahead, the chancellor warned yester- was “deeply troubled” by the warnings. diabetes or high blood pressure may
day as the financial watchdog predicted “These are tough times and there will also be proving harder to manage
that lockdown could leave more than be more to come,” the chancellor said. during the lockdown.
two million people unemployed and “We can’t protect every business and The latest figures are for the week
shrink the economy by 35 per cent. every household. This is going to be ending April 3. They record certified
In a bleak forecast, the Office for hard and our economy is going to take deaths throughout the country, rather
Budget Responsibility (OBR), said that this significant hit. That’s not an than only those recorded in hospitals.
net public-sector borrowing would abstract thing, people are going to feel They represent the highest weekly
reach £273 billion, the largest single- that in their jobs and in their household total since recording began in 2005,
year deficit since the Second World incomes.” with more than 16,000 deaths across
War. Mr Sunak insisted that the lockdown the week, 6,000 higher than the five-
However, economists suggested that was the right plan and without the year average.
the damage could be even worse. They government’s economic interventions The numbers, from the Office for
said the OBR’s prediction that the eco- the long-term effects on businesses and National Statistics (ONS), came as the
nomy would bounce back quickly as individuals would have been much government announced that the daily
soon as restrictions were lifted, result- worse. coronavirus death toll, solely of hospi-
ing in an annual reduction in GDP of He refused to rule out tax rises or tal fatalities, was up 778 to 12,107.
up to 13 per cent, was too optimistic. further austerity to deal with the deficit The ONS said that one coronavirus
The OBR forecast came as the Inter- but insisted that boosting the economy death in ten took place in a community
national Monetary Fund (IMF) said and improving productivity would be setting. Some 5 per cent were in care
coronavirus would exact the biggest the key to recovery. homes, backing up warnings from the
toll on the global economy since the “When we come out of this in terms sector that there were outbreaks
1930s Great Depression. It predicted of righting the ship, we’ll have to look at among residents that had not been
that the British economy would shrink it then,” he said. “Obviously this has picked up.
by 6.5 per cent, the biggest fall in a year cost a lot. But the best way out of this for Labour said the figures showed that
since the mid-1920s, and more than the all of us is to just grow the economy, social care needed “a much greater
entire 6 per cent decline over 18 months which is why trying to keep as much of priority and focus than it has had so far”
in the 2008-09 financial crisis. it as intact as possible at this moment from the government, and called for
The Resolution Foundation said that allows that bounce-back when we ministers to set out when care staff
Britain would suffer its worst recession come out of it and allows us to hopefully could expect personal protective equip-
for 300 years if the OBR prediction snap back to normal as quickly as ment and testing.
proved to be accurate. possible.” The ONS data revealed a death toll
The pre-coronavirus unemployment In its report, the OBR said it had 52 per cent higher than the total that
rate was just under 4 per cent. The OBR based its economic modelling on the had been announced by the govern-
predicts that joblessness will rise to assumption that the lockdown con- ment for the week ended April 3: 6,253
10 per cent before falling quickly to just tinued for three months, after which Cherry picking The speciality tea-maker Tom Webb was invited into the orchards compared with 4,093.
under 6 per cent at the end of next year. Continued on page 2, col 3 of Alnwick Garden in Northumberland to harvest some of the beautiful blossoms Alice Thomson, page 25
2 2GM Wednesday April 15 2020 | the times
News
BRITAIN’S MOST TRUSTED Police with emergency powers
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
CORONAVIRUS SUMMARY will use drones to spot crowds
Global
confirmed cases 1,990,000 125,949 Global deaths Graeme Paton Transport Correspondent of 30 people taking a Good Friday stroll visual line of sight of the pilot “unless
Rhys Blakely Science Correspondent in Walton-on-Thames. Last month using a competent observer”, the
UK confirmed Derbyshire police used drones to take document says, potentially extending
cases 93,873 12,107 UK deaths Increasing numbers of drones are to be footage of ramblers and dog walkers in the range of flights.
deployed to enforce the lockdown after the Peak District, acting as a warning to As part of a trial, drones have been
police were given emergency powers by others to keep away from the national used to deliver medical equipment for
Sunak wants ‘snap back’ Other deaths increase the aviation watchdog. park. Border Force officials have also the first time. The company Snowdonia
Air safety regulations governing the started using drones fitted with high- Aerospace completed the project last
Rishi Sunak said he wanted to get Healthcare experts fear that a use of the technology have been re- definition cameras to scan the Channel month in a scheme alongside bodies
people back to work as quickly as focus on coronavirus may have laxed to allow police to enforce social amid fears that illegal migrants could such as Manchester University and the
possible once the lockdown is caused a large spike in deaths distancing rules in locations such as be carrying the coronavirus. Welsh Ambulance Service.
eased, insisting the virus-ravaged from other conditions. parks, beaches and housing estates. Privacy campaigners said they were As part of the trial in Llanbedr, north
economy could quickly “snap Figures from the ONS showed An exemption introduced by the alarmed by the prospect of the Wales, a defibrillator was dropped by
back” into health. the highest weekly death total in Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will extended use of drones in the UK. parachute to a first aider, with the flight
The chancellor, looking for a England and Wales — 16,387 — permit forces across the UK to fly Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother covering 2.8 miles in under three min-
rapid return to normality, cited the since recording began in 2005. drones at a higher altitude and closer to Watch, said: “Police using drones to utes. An ambulance would have taken
budget watchdog’s surprise finding However, many were not recorded people than previously allowed. It also surveil and bark orders at members of more than 20 minutes to deliver the
that much of the economy could as being related to Covid-19. Tom slightly relaxes rules around the the public is usually excessive and lifesaving equipment, it was claimed.
recover from restrictions by early Dening, professor of dementia operating of devices beyond a drone counterproductive. Parliament should 6Distancing measures may need to be
next year. He denied that the costs research at the University of pilot’s visual line of sight — extending introduce stronger safeguards to cir- in place intermittently until 2022 to
of keeping firms and workers Nottingham, said there were likely their range — providing they are cumscribe their use.” bring the coronavirus pandemic under
afloat while tax receipts plummet to be multiple reasons for the observed by a second officer. The CAA published an exemption to control, scientists say. According to a
would last for a generation. Page 4 increase in “other” deaths. Page 6 The change to the Air Navigation existing drone rules on April 8. The study published in Science, a resurgence
Order 2016 is intended to make it easier changes are “only applicable for use in of the virus could be larger than the first
COMMENT for police to use drones to monitor the support of the police response in wave. The paper concludes that, in the
I am not a coronavirus alarmist yet history compliance with the lockdown and enforcing the government restrictions absence of new treatments, a vaccine or
spread health warning messages, placed on the public as a result of the increasing critical care capacity,
does make me a little less of an optimist replicating tactics employed in coun- Covid-19 pandemic”, it said. The “surveillance and intermittent distanc-
tries such as China, Spain and Italy. change allows police to fly drones up to ing may need to be maintained into
DANIEL FINKELSTEIN, PAGE 23 Some forces have already started 500ft above ground rather than 400ft 2022”. Marc Lipsitch, a professor of
using drones to enforce social distanc- under normal circumstances. They can epidemiology at Harvard and co-au-
Care home fatalities Ventilators hold-up ing measures, which are supposed to also be operated within 33ft (10m) of a thor of the study, said: “Unless there is
limit people’s movements outside the person, increasing to 66ft (20m) for some enormously larger amount of
More than 500 residents at care Regulators have yet to approve home. Over Easter, Surrey police larger drones. This compares with a herd immunity than we’re aware of . . .
homes run by two of the biggest any new intensive care ventilators deployed a “sky talk” drone to play a normal separation of 164ft (50m). the majority of the population is still
operators have died after despite industry putting recorded warning message to a group Drones must be flown within the susceptible.”
catching coronavirus in a forward a range of designs
sign of the delayed 24 in response to the
reporting of Covid-19 government’s call for a Pickers flown in to plug farmwork gap
deaths in the sector. national effort. At least
HC-One, with about DAYS OF UK ten ventilators are at an
350 homes, said that as advanced design stage
LOCKDOWN
of Monday there had and under review by the Graeme Paton vel restrictions imposed to prevent a Charter Service (ACS), a British com-
been 311 deaths, with medical regulator. One spread of coronavirus were leaving pany that arranges charter flights, has
outbreaks at two thirds of its components supplier said he British farmers are being forced to fly agricultural companies short of staff. confirmed that it has booked the first
homes. MHA reported 210 deaths had firm orders to provide parts in fruit and vegetable pickers from Many British workers who have been specialist service to carry eastern Euro-
across 131 homes, with outbreaks for the manufacture of more than Romania using specialist charter jets to made unemployed during the lock- pean farm workers to the UK.
in half of its homes. Page 8 50,000 ventilators. Page 9 keep up with demand during the coro- down have applied for farming jobs but The chartered Boeing 737 will arrive
navirus lockdown. it is not believed to be enough to fill all at Stansted tomorrow before the
German schools plan Trump: I’ve total power The first charter flight operating vacancies. workers are transported by bus to sites
between Bucharest and London Stan- Many airlines such as EasyJet, Rya- across the southeast and Lincolnshire.
Angela Merkel, the German President Trump was criticised by sted will land tomorrow, bringing about nair and Wizz have suspended services The flight has been chartered by an
chancellor, is considering a plan to both sides of the political 180 farm workers to the UK from east- between the UK and most eastern unnamed food produce company.
reopen the country’s primary spectrum after he claimed he had ern Europe. The plane is the first of up European countries amid plummeting Passengers on board the aircraft will
schools as she prepares to discuss “total power” to order American to six to operate in the coming months demand and operating restrictions be expected to maintain social distanc-
a strategy for loosening states to lift their lockdowns. to keep farms staffed with labourers. imposed by governments, making it ing and will not be allowed to leave
coronavirus restrictions. As its Angered by state governors’ It follows warnings from the Country impossible for many seasonal farm Romania if they display any symptoms
smaller neighbours, including suggestions that it was for them, Land & Business Association that tra- workers to reach Britain. Now Air of coronavirus.
Austria and the Czech Republic, not him, to decide when their
slowly begin to relax their states eased up on coronavirus continued from page 1 continued from page 1
lockdowns Germany is conflicted restrictions, the president claimed Economic forecast dation, believed the bounce back would Vaccine tie-up
over how and when to begin that the White House had “total” be slower: “Policy-makers should not
easing its own constraints. Page 10 authority. Page 11 treat this as the worst-case scenario.”
restrictions were slowly lifted over the The budget deficit forecast by the annually by the end of next year.” The
‘Worst slump since 30s’ Football stadiums fear following three months. OBR is significantly higher than the tie-up brings to seven the number of
It warned that the longer the period £158 billion that was recorded after the Covid-19 collaborations that GSK has
A prolonged lockdown could start The return of packed football of economic disruption, the more likely 2008 crash. The £273 billion has with other groups, including universi-
another financial crisis and credit stadiums could be 18 months away, it was that the economy’s future output ballooned from estimates made only ties and smaller companies.
crunch despite the emergency according to experts. Zach Binney, would be “scarred”. weeks ago by the IFS, which projected The British company does not intend
actions taken by central banks, the an epidemiologist at Emory This could lead to business failures, a deficit of £200 billion or more next to profit from any of these initiatives
International Monetary Fund University in the US, thinks it will cancelled investment and the unem- year. The watchdog said the most pro- during the pandemic and will reinvest
fears. The longer the shutdown, not be possible for fans to attend ployed finding it increasingly hard to found effect would be on unemploy- any money it makes into research and
the greater the damage. It forecast sports events until a vaccine exists get back into the labour market. If that ment, which would rise in the second pandemic preparedness, Ms Walmsley
the deepest global recession since for coronavirus. A number of clubs happened, the OBR said, the govern- quarter to 3.4 million, 10 per cent of said. It also plans to donate adjuvant to
the 1930s and predicted that world in the Premier League and the ment would be forced to confront a working age people. This was despite the world’s poorest countries.
GDP will shrink by 3 per cent this EFL already face severe financial long-term structural deficit heralding the furlough scheme by the govern- AstraZeneca said that it was rushing
year, including a 6.5 per cent difficulties as a result of lost many years of austerity or higher taxes. ment where wages are guaranteed at a drug used to tackle blood cancer into
annual fall in Britain. Page 33 matchday revenue. Page 60 The OBR said its prediction did not 80 per cent, up to £2,500 a month. clinical trials to investigate its effective-
amount to a forecast as it had no way of The OBR said that persistent eco- ness for treating “cytokine storm”. This
knowing how long the most stringent nomic weakness meant that interest develops in Covid-19 patients when the
public health restrictions might last. rates were likely to remain at record body’s immune system overreacts. If
COMMENT 23 MARKETS 46-47 SPORT 54 Paul Johnson, director of the Insti- lows in the coming years. Although the successful, Astra believes the treatment
THUNDERER 24 REGISTER 49 CROSSWORD 60 tute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), described base rate will climb from its present could mean fewer patients with life-
LEADING ARTICLES 27 LAW REPORT 51 TV & RADIO TIMES2 the OBR modelling as “very optimis- level of 0.1 per cent, it will only go so far threatening symptoms needing to go
tic”, adding that it did not feel like any- as 0.34 per cent by 2025, it predicted. on to ventilators.
Please note, some sections of The Times are available only in the United Kingdom and Ireland one else’s “central scenario”. In its March outlook, the OBR said The World Health Organisation said
© TIMES NEWSPAPERS LIMITED, 2020. Published in print and all other derivative formats by Times Newspapers Ltd, 1 London Bridge St, London,
SE1 9GF, telephone [phone]. Printed by: Newsprinters (Broxbourne) Ltd, Great Cambridge Rd, Waltham Cross, EN8 8DY; Newsprinters “They are not only suggesting that the base rate would be at 0.75 per cent there were 70 Covid-19 vaccines in de-
(Knowsley) Ltd, Kitling Rd, Prescot, Merseyside, L34 9HN; Newsprinters (Eurocentral) Ltd, Byramsmuir Road, Holytown, Motherwell, ML1 1NP; there will be no long-term scarring on by this point. It said that stock markets velopment. They include a team led by
Johnston Press, Carn Web, Morton 3 Esky Drive, Carn Industial Estate, Portadown, BT63 5YY; Smurfit Kappa News Press Ltd, Kells Industrial
Estate, Virginia Rd, Kells, County Meath, Ireland; KP Services, La Rue Martel, La Rue des Pres Trading Estate, St Saviour, Jersey, JE2 7QR; Bermont the UK economy but also that there will would remain subdued, with equity Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology
SA, Avda de Alemania 12, 28821 Coslada, Spain; Newsprint Impresion Digital SL, Poligono Industrial Los Majuelos, 38108 San Cristobal de la be no disturbance affecting us from the prices 15 per cent lower in 2020-21 than at Oxford University, who told The
Laguna, Sta Cruz de Tenerife, Spain; Omniprint SA, Poligono Son Llaut, 07320 Santa Maria del Cami (Mallorca), Spain; MOP, 62 Boulevard de
l’Europe, 13127 Vitrolles, France; Europrinter SA, Avenue Jean Mermoz 10, 6041 Charleroi, Belgium; Miller Newsprint Ltd, Miller House, Tarxien Rd, rest of the world either and that trade assumed in its March forecast. Times last week that she was “80 per
PMuablltias hAeirr pSoerrtv, iLceQsA L 0td5, L2unqda ,K Miloamlteat; eMr iPlkeraon Diaisg-iMtaal rCkyopprouusl oL tAdv, eN,i sPsoosuit iIonnd uNsitsriizaal ,E 1s9t4a4te1, KOoldro Npii,c oGsrieae-cLeim; Aatslsaosl MRde,d 2ia5 7C1o mNmisouun,i cCaytpioruns F; ZM LilLkCr,o P HOe Bllaosx will pick up where it left off,” he said. Leading article, page 27 cent confident” that their treatment
14833, International Media Production Zone, Dubai. For permission to copy articles or headlines for internal information purposes contact Torsten Bell, director of the eco- Virus reports, pages 4-11 would work, possibly by September.
lNiceewnsspinagp einr qLuicireinessi ncogn Atagcetn Lciyc eant sPinOg B Doexp 1a0rt1m, Teunnt,b 1ri dLgoen dWone lBlsr,i dTgNe1 S1tW, LXo,n tdeol n0,1 S8E912 95G2F5,2 t7e4l,e pe-hmonaeil 0c2o0py 7@7n1l1a .7c8o8.u8k,. eF-omr aailll soatlheesr@ rneepwrosdliuccetniosnin agn.cdo .uk nomic think tank the Resolution Foun- Worst slump since Thirties, page 33 Alistair Osborne, page 35
the times | Wednesday April 15 2020 2GM 3
News
Paradise estate for sale, includes dog
RAY WHITE
Bernard Lagan Sydney
Its tranquil blue lakes, magnificent
woods, babbling streams and soaring
peaks are so enchanting that they were
used to depict the fairest land of the
elves in the Lord of the Rings film
trilogy.
Now the Arcadia estate, the location
for scores of music videos, advertising
shoots as well as other Hollywood
blockbusters, and in the same family for
80 years, has sold for almost £10 million
with one proviso: that Bo, a beloved and
ailing dog, can see out his days there.
The 650-acre estate on New Zea-
land’s South Island was described by Sir
Ian McKellen, after playing Gandalf in
Lord of the Rings films, as his favourite
place on Earth.
The trilogy’s director, Peter Jackson,
used the streams flowing through the
giant beech trees on the estate to help
portray JRR Tolkien’s elvish realm of
Lothlorien. Hugh Jackman later ran
naked through the same woodlands
during the filming of Wolverine.
Jim Veint, 83, who raised prize-win-
ning Simmental cattle on the property
he sometimes called Paradise, turned
down various unsolicited offers from
would-be buyers over the years. Inter-
ested parties included the owners of
Red Bull, the actor and model Fabio
and movie moguls.
He has also witnessed scenes alien to
most New Zealand farmers, such as the
singer Taylor Swift filming a music
video on a night so stormy that he
worried he would see the headline:
“Taylor Swift Dies in Paradise”.
Mr Veint wanted to resist, if he could,
selling to a foreign buyer, because so
many prestigious local estates had gone
Tasman
in recent years to overseas celebrities or
Sea
business magnates looking for Christchurch
boltholes.
NEW ZEALAND
The property, which is near Glenor-
chy and backs on to Mount Aspiring Glenorchy
National Park, was first named Arcadia
in the late 19th century by Joseph
Cyprian Fenn, a young Cambridge Jim Veint’s estate, featured in the Lord of the Rings films,
100 miles
graduate and rowing champion who came with 650 acres, fine views and his faithful dog, Bo
fled, brokenhearted, to New Zealand
after his fiancée fell in love with his he said, because “well, things weren’t ers. “I could never take him away from
Lords of land
father, a vicar. Fenn kept the property difficult and it was a pleasure to get up here now,” Mr Veint said. He has won
near the head of Lake Wakatipu for 50 in the morning and keep going as long the agreement of Arcadia’s new owner,
years but threw away, unopened, any James Cameron, 65 Peter Thiel, 52 Shania Twain, 54 as I could”. a local businessman, to let the dog live
letters that arrived from England. The Canadian director The German-born The Canadian country However, last year his partner suf- out the rest of its days on the land.
Mr Veint still has Fenn’s Cambridge behind Titanic and American billionaire music star bought Mahu fered a stroke and the couple realised A string of wealthy foreigners, in-
rowing medals, found within Arcadia’s other hits owns 3,700 technology investor Whenua on South Island they needed to be closer to medical fa- cluding the Hollywood director James
11-bedroom stately home, after the acres in the Wairarapa who helped to fund with her husband cilities. Mr Veint has five adult children Cameron, have acquired New Zealand
property was sold to his parents as the region of New Zealand. Donald Trump’s 2016 Robert Lange in 2004 and decided that the only fair course estates in the past 20 years, many of
Second World War ended. “I used to He is developing it into election campaign owns for about £11 million. was to sell his farm. “I couldn’t give it to them around the mountain resort of
think I was the luckiest kid on earth liv- an organic vegetarian an estate near the After their divorce in one child or sell it to one child,” he said. Queenstown, the nearest large town to
ing here and I have been here virtually farm business and calls South Island resort of 2008 Mr Lange, a South A great concern, however, was his Arcadia. In 2017, with frustration grow-
ever since,” Mr Veint told Television himself a “wannabe Queenstown, on the African, acquired sole faithful 14-year-old dog, Bo — a hunta- ing about rising property prices, the
New Zealand on the eve of its sale. Kiwi”. shores of Lake Wanaka. ownership. way, the sturdy working breed favoured government severely tightened restric-
He never thought of retiring earlier, by New Zealand’s high-country farm- tions on international buyers.
Disney’s mermaid is butt of the jokes BBC host gets icy response
for insulting Arctic rolls
David Sanderson Arts Correspondent cised on social media after being high- was told on social media that it should
lighted by Allison Pregler, who hosts an be wary of censoring classic films with
Disney has certainly made a splash online film forum. one user saying “either stream it proper
with its streaming service and possibly One observer said Hannah had been or not at all”. Jane Garvey, the host of Woman’s Hour, Later the presenter told Adams, 35,
made a fool of itself. given a “bizarre furry bottom”. Another The cinema adaptation of Sir An- was called a snob and forced to that listeners were sending her pictures
It has been ridiculed after obscuring claimed Disney had “given her a giant drew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats has apologise yesterday after angering of Arctic rolls which she said was “in its
Daryl Hannah’s bottom in the popular shag carpet for a butt”. Children were also been criticised for its use of special Radio 4 listeners by calling Arctic roll a own way very nice”.
1980s film Splash. On Disney+, its newly effects. The characters’ enhancements “low-level pudding”. However, before the end of the
launched streaming service, the com- were ridiculed by the actor James Cor- Jayde Adams, a comedian, actress programme, an embarrassed Garvey
Disney covered
pany has used CGI to cover Hannah’s den at the Oscars this year. and singer, had been telling how when said: “Brief mention in apology corner
Daryl Hannah’s
bottom with what one viewer has sug- Disney+ — which became available in impersonating the singer Adele she to the regular purchasers and people
bottom with fur
gested is “digital fur technology”. Britain last month and features, among used to change the chorus of who enjoy Arctic roll . . . I can’t believe
In the original film, a young man, many other offerings, the entire Star Skyfall to “Trifle, crumble how presumptuous and snobby your
played by Tom Hanks, is reunited with Wars, Marvel and Pixar back catalogues and Arctic roll”. presenter sounded, said one lis-
a mermaid (Hannah), who saved him — has entered a crowded streaming Garvey, 55, responded: tener.
from drowning as a boy. Hannah is seen market with Amazon and Netflix among “Anything with Arctic “To be honest with you, I
running into the sea with her long hair unlikely to be “corrupted by 1980s others vying for primacy. roll is funny. It’s a real . . . don’t like Arctic roll but
partly obscuring her bottom. beach butt”, another said. With cinemas unable to show new and I don’t mean to be I’m certainly not snobby
The updated scene in Splash, which Other scenes in the “updated” ver- releases, streaming services are finding offensive . . . but it’s a low- about it.
was given a PG rating when it was sion of the film are also thought to have themselves in an unprecedented posi- level pudding. When we had “I do apologise if you
released in 1984 under the Disney’s been doctored with Hannah’s mermaid tion of power. And that, as a financial it at home I was always very dis- are a big, big fan of Arctic
Touchstone Pictures label, was criti- given more “modesty”. The company analyst might say, is the bottom line. gruntled by it.” roll.”
4 2GM Wednesday April 15 2020 | the times
NNeewwss Coronavirus
Chancellor expects economy to
Francis Elliott Political Editor Unemployment
Rishi Sunak says that he wants to get
people back to work as quickly as How the rate is now expected to rise
possible once the lockdown has eased, 12%
insisting the virus-ravaged economy Projected
10
can quickly “snap back” into health.
New
The chancellor held up an upbeat 8
forecast
prospect of a rapid return to normality,
6
citing surprise finding by the Office for
Budget Responsibility (OBR) that 4
much of the economy could recover Previous
from even six months of restrictions by forecast 2
early next year. 0
Mr Sunak denied that the massive 2019Q3 2020Q3 2021 Q3
costs of keeping businesses and work- Q1 Q1 Q1
ers afloat while tax receipts plummet Source: Office for Budget Responsibility
would be paid for a generation. He said
that borrowing could be brought back about that with people. I think the
under control but only if the economy’s measures we’ve put in place will help
“productive capacity” remained largely and then as we get through this it
intact. means we can recover quickly and
“We came into this crisis with a fun- strongly and get our lives and economy
damentally sound economy, powered back to normal.”
by the hard work and ingenuity of the Mr Sunak will hope that businesses
British people and British businesses,” share some of his optimism rather than
the chancellor said. “So while those lay workers off before the end of the
economic impacts are significant, the three-month scheme under which the
OBR also expects them to be tempo- Treasury has promised to meet the cost
rary, with a bounceback in growth.” of 80 per cent of wages up to a monthly
However, Mr Sunak refused to com- maximum of £2,500. The OBR said that
mit to maintaining the “triple lock” on as many as 30 per cent of private sector
pensions — the controversial promise employees could end up furloughed at
which ensures state pensions rise by at a cost to the Treasury of £40 billion.
least 2.5 per cent every year — as Mr Sunak said that the government
experts predict that younger people, would return to its political agenda of
especially those about to enter the spreading opportunity more evenly
labour market, will bear the brunt of the around the country, even as it seeks to
economic fallout. repair a balance sheet that will see bor-
He said the government would not rowing exceed 100 per cent of GDP on
choose between the economy and most estimates.
public health, as “common sense tells us The Social Market Foundation think
that doing so would be self-defeating”. tank recommended that the pension
The chancellor’s emphasis on getting guarantee — which costs about £4 bil-
workplaces functioning again comes in lion a year — should be dropped as a
the midst of a cabinet debate on how measure to show “reciprocity” between
best to restart the economic engines. the generations.
“We are not just going to stand by and “The economic impact of lockdown
let this happen,” he said. after acknowl- policies is falling most heavily on work-
edging that there would be a “signifi- ing-age Britons, many of whom face
cant” hit to people’s living standards. redundancy followed by years of higher
“Our response aims to directly support taxes, reduced services, and slow
people and businesses while the restric- economic growth,” it said. “Lockdown
tions are in place and to ensure that as policies have rightly been deployed to
the restrictions are changed we can as protect the lives and wellbeing of those
quickly as possible get people back to most vulnerable to the virus, a group
work, get businesses moving again and that includes older people. To retain
recover our economy.” social cohesion and public support,
His comments will be taken by other fiscal policy should demonstrate
ministers as a clear demand from the ‘reciprocity’ for that support.”
Treasury that other departments prior- Asked if he could still commit to the
itise ensuring workers feel confident pension triple-lock in a post-virus
they can return to work and that supply world in which the young suffered, Mr
chain issues are addressed before any Sunak said that he would not “start Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, arrives in Downing Street yesterday to hold the reins while Boris Johnson convalesces
easing of the lockdown. writing future budgets”. He added: “We
Challenged over whether it was real- want to make sure that there’s eco-
istic that the economy could “shake off” nomic opportunity for you. If you’re Quentin Letts that. Mr Trump stood to one side of
such a profound shock within a matter young and entering the labour market I the stage and nodded in agreement
of months, Mr Sunak insisted that want you to look forward and see at these stirring tributes to his own
measures such as furloughing would opportunity and hope for your future. brilliance.
The best of times: A tale
spare the costs taking a generation to And I’m confident that we will be able When the reporters suggested
repay. to deliver that as we exit this crisis.” that a coronavirus press
“Yes it will be difficult in the short Matthew Parris, page 24 conference, at a time of mass
term,” he said. “ I’m happy to be honest Leading article, page 27 of two press conferences deaths, was perhaps not the place
for such a film, the president
dropped open his mouth in
GDP
astonishment at their wetness.
He reloaded his muck-spreader
Percentage change on the previous year
Old forecast New forecast The dapper Mr Sunak was his and gave them another prolonged
Political Sketch
usual shimmering self, wanting to splattering, saying he had played a
WWI WWII Projected
20% make sure everyone was safe and blinder and saved hundreds of
Spanish flu Financial crisis well. thousands of lives. He told the
15 Exhibit two? The free-for-all at media they were liars and generally
Actual 10 the White House in Washington. hated by the public. A woman from
Did you see it? Amazing. Messier CBS started to chew his ankle. He
F
5 or our homework today than a Tyson Fury fight. Donald tried to flick her off. She clung on.
we will compare two Trump stood at his lectern and He closed his eyes in disbelief and
0 coronavirus press pretty much pelted the journalists told her she was a disgrace and a
conferences on different with cowpats. fake.
-5
sides of the Atlantic. He began by showing a He also had his science guy,
-10 Exhibit one came from London, campaign-style video which bigged Anthony Fauci, tiptoe up to the
England, where the chancellor, up a certain D Trump, various folk lectern to recant apparent criticisms
-15 Rishi Sunak, took questions via saying what a hero he was and that he had made about Mr President’s
1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 the usual televised link. the press should do more to report handling of the crisis. These had
Sources: Bank of England; Office for Budget Responsibility
the times | Wednesday April 15 2020 2GM 5
NNeewwss
recover in quick return to work
STEFAN ROUSSEAU; JANE BARLOW/PA We can’t rely on China if it won’t
play by our rules, warns Hague
Lucy Fisher Defence Editor we have to have regard to future tech- explanation for this [pandemic] has
nology and resources,” he said. been,” Lord Hague said.
Britain must avoid becoming depend- Britain must pursue a dual track Others were less swift to accept that
ent on new technology from China as approach of seeking to avoid strategic an international inquiry could encoun-
Beijing has demonstrated during the dependency on Beijing while accepting ter obstacles. Tom Tugendhat, the Con-
coronavirus outbreak that the country that China’s co-operation would be re- servative chairman of the Commons
“isn’t going to play by our rules”, Lord quired to solve global problems, from foreign affairs committee, renewed
Hague of Richmond has warned. climate change to antibiotic resistance, calls yesterday for a global inquiry.
The former foreign secretary high- Lord Hague added. “We need an international investi-
lighted how the UK had been “caught The former Tory leader painted a gation into the Covid-19 epidemic,” he
out” in the telecoms sector, where a bleak picture of the West’s ability to wrote on Twitter. “It has already cost
lack of alternative suppliers had forced tackle China over its handling of coro- too many lives and will take many
ministers to allow the Chinese com- navirus or its subsequent disinforma- more. We cannot allow cover-ups or
pany Huawei to install Britain’s 5G tion campaign over the pandemic’s lies to put us all at risk. Even now, false
mobile infrastructure. likely origins. “We don’t have that much data from Beijing is undermining our
Critics accuse Huawei of posing a of a stick,” he conceded. ability to respond.”
security risk, alleging that it could The leading scientific theory is that A hardline strategy against China
facilitate espionage or sabotage by the the virus originated in the wet markets was also outlined by Lieutenant-Gen-
Chinese state via 5G networks. The of Wuhan city in the province of Hubei, eral HR McMaster, the former US
company denies the claims. in which wild animals are sold live with national security adviser to President
Advocating a new “hard-headed” few regulatory constraints. Trump, during the seminar.
approach to China in the West, Lord Lord Hague said: “Can any of us see He accused China of “perfecting this
Hague, who served as foreign secretary China agreeing to and permitting an Orwellian surveillance police state
between 2010 and 2014, urged the international investigation into what’s internally and becoming more and
government to examine China’s happened here? I think that’s very un- more aggressive externally”, adding:
growing dominance over other emerg- likely and there have been “This is an authoritarian dictatorship
ing technologies. co-ordinated attempts by China, on that is trying to extend and tighten its
“Here in the UK we’re preparing for social media, to spread ideas that it was exclusive grip on power.”
an age of electric transportation, but somebody else’s fault, including the The West should “get some more
which country is getting ahead with fault of the United States.” backbone” and minimise its depend-
battery technology? China,” he told a While Beijing’s disinformation cam- ence on China, he said. “We have to
web seminar hosted by Policy Ex- paign had been “clumsy” and “easily compete — and recognise that this is a
change, the London-based centre-right exposed”, it had nonetheless highlight- competition between free and open so-
think tank. ed the nation’s intent to eschew trans- cieties and a closed, authoritarian
The peer, 59, raised concerns that parency. system imposed on the Chinese people
Chinese state-owned enterprises were China’s behaviour suggested an ac- by the Chinese Communist Party.”
buying up global supplies of rare earth ceptance internally that the virus came Lord Wood of Anfield, former La-
metals, cobalt and lithium, which are from its wet markets. “Why are they bour foreign policy adviser to Gordon
essential to manufacture batteries. making new laws that you should not Brown, said that a “self-interested, ro-
“We can’t have supply chains that are be able to trade or consume illegal wild- bust” approach on China must not give
dependent for ever on China, that is life in their markets any more? Because way to generalised Sinophobia.
exemplified by this current crisis, and they know full well what the most likely Letters, page 26
One in nine homeowners Graduates
gets a mortgage holiday lose job offers
Eleni Courea Political Reporter defers a payment of £775 per month, of Nicola Woolcock
which £260 is interest and the rest is Education Correspondent
One in nine homeowners has been capital repayment.
given a mortgage holiday by their bank Homeowners applying for a payment Two thirds of graduating students
in Chequers. A phone box is used as a community larder in Muthill, Perthshire because of the financial impact of the freeze must self-certify that their applying for their first job after univers-
lockdown. income has been affected by the virus. ity have seen their application with-
More than 1.2 million payment holi- Buy-to-let landlords whose tenants’ drawn or put on hold because of the
been misinterpreted, adjudged medical experts regularly seen at days have been offered by lenders to income has been affected by the pandemic, according to a survey.
Fauci. The CBS ankle-biter wanted these events, Profs Powis (the arm- people affected by the pandemic, UK pandemic are also eligible for the three- Most students are worried about how
to know if Fauci had been forced to waver) and Doyle (the one with the Finance, which represents the major month breaks. Covid-19 might affect their university
say this. Fauci tried pulling a “puh- nervous Irish voice). Prof Doyle banks, said yesterday. Stephen Jones, the chief executive of marks and feel under pressure owing to
lease, do us a favour, lady” face but said she had been working seven- The total has tripled in the past two UK Finance, said that lenders had been uncertainty caused by the crisis, the
looked more as if he was about to day weeks since mid-January and weeks. About 61,000 payment holidays working “tirelessly to help home- research showed.
start blubbing. And so it continued. some of her colleagues had been a day are now being granted. owners”. He added: “The industry has A survey of more than 5,000 students
Mayhem. Washington sketchwriters doing all-nighters, too. The poor Banks have reported that their phone pulled out all the stops in recent weeks by Bright Network, an online careers
have all the fun. soul looked whacked and no lines are “extremely busy” and have to give an unprecedented number of website, found that 80 per cent of final-
It remains my duty to return to Mr wonder. Yet she and Prof Powis and urged people to look for information customers a payment holiday, and we year students graduating this year were
Sunak’s presentation: a chirrup of Mr Sunak did not once snap at the online and apply via online banking. stand ready to help more over the concerned about the impact on their
country birdsong, the creak of a journalists. One of the news aces They have also advised homeowners coming months.” grades.
stationmaster’s barrow, Adlestrop in had a dodgy internet connection not to cancel their direct debits before a However, Mr Jones said that mort- The market for graduate vacancies
the afternoon. All right, not quite and started pixelating, his voice payment holiday has been agreed, gage holidays were not “always the has slowed since the onset of the crisis.
that peaceful. Mr Sunak was going all Stephen Hawking. Mr because this would be counted as right solution for everyone” and urged Just under half of this summer’s gradu-
speaking soon after the Office for Sunak decently arranged for him to having missed a payment and could homeowners to contact their bank to ates were confident of securing a job
Budgetary Responsibility suggested have a second go. affect their credit rating. assess their individual situation. before the arrival of the pandemic but
we could be looking at a 35 per cent Someone raised Nicola The three-month payment holidays People have been asked to look at that has now dropped to one third, the
economic hit. That’s shrinkage even Sturgeon’s apparent attempt to stir are part of the measures the govern- alternative options if they are strug- survey suggested.
worse than what I did to my jumper anti-English sentiment over ment announced a month ago to help gling with repayments, including re- There is also a shifting focus away
when I put it on the wrong washing- medical supplies. Mr Sunak people struggling with the financial ducing the amount of their monthly from London: only a third say they are
machine programme. BBC resisted criticising Scotland’s first effects of the pandemic. payments or switching to an interest- most likely to apply for a job in the capi-
presenters expressed astonishment. minister. Later he said this was no Under terms set out by lenders, only arrangement. tal, compared with almost two thirds
The only thing surprising was their time for ideology or orthodoxy. homeowners can apply via a fast-track As well as mortgage holidays, people last year.
surprise. Mr Sunak hoped the hit Had our government made system and will not have their credit affected by the virus can apply for a Consulting has replaced banking and
would be short-term. A rapid bounce mistakes? No doubt it had, all rating affected, but interest will con- three-month payment freeze on their finance as the most popular sector,
was possible. But he was not sure. three agreed. That was life. British tinue to rack up on their debt and they loans and credit card bills under plans while there has been an increase in
Alongside him stood two of the life, anyway. Bless it. will have to pay that at a later stage. that were announced by the Financial those stating an interest in starting
For the average mortgage holder, this Conduct Authority last week. their own business.
6 2GM Wednesday April 15 2020 | the times
NNeewwss Coronavirus
Virus blamed for only half
of extra deaths as toll rises
Kat Lay Health Correspondent Analysis The breakdown
Healthcare experts fear that a focus on Deaths by region in England and Wales for the week ending April 3
T
coronavirus may have caused a large he statistics released by
Covid-19 rate per 100,000 people
spike in deaths from other conditions. the Office for National
3,000
Figures from the ONS showed the Statistics are different 13.1 6.8 5.7 5 4.6 4.5 4.3 3.9 3.2 2.8
highest weekly death total in England from the numbers we 2,500
and Wales — 16,387 — since recording hear daily from the All deaths
began in 2005, but many were not government (Kat Lay and Francis Covid-19 2,000
recorded as being related to Covid-19. Elliott write).
1,500
The number of deaths above the This is because the death tolls
five-year average, at more than 6,000, given at Downing Street briefings 1,000
was far greater than the number record- only include those who have
500
ed as related to coronavirus, at 3,475. tested positive for Covid-19 —
Tom Dening, professor of dementia and in England, that means they 0
rhmdeeaasamentahy, rs src.ae h“iad Tsa ohtt nhetssahe tfeo i tnrUh tcenhlruieevd i enewr csperierteyeoa psoleilfke ie nNnl y“ooo tttt tofhien eebgrle”-- hcwoaiMmdveeim sndpiuirsentedeia tridysn. tahenosdtsi pnaidgt aviils s bneerocst a dyueesftee nd LondonMiWdleasntdsNorthwestNortheastEast SoutheastWalesMiEdalasnt dstheY oHruksmhbireer Saonudthwest Source: ONS
ing able to attend their GP surgeries, call using their figures because it is as
Compared with flu Total deaths
an ambulance or attend A&E,” he said. close as possible to giving a real-
“Therefore, some serious conditions time picture of the pandemic’s Weekly deaths, England and Wales Weekly deaths, England and Wales 000s
may present too late for effective treat- mortality rate and is the one 3,500 All deaths, 2015 20
ment. Another possibility is that some most easily compared with data 3,000 (deadliest flu outbreak
people with serious conditions, like from other nations. in recent years) 16
cancer or chronic kidney disease, are They said yesterday that they 2,500
Influenza and
either unable or unwilling to attend would try to reflect care home pneumonia: 2,000 12
hospital on the usual regular basis, so deaths in daily updates, amid five-year average
their treatment regimes may lapse.” concern that they were going 1,500 All 8
deaths, All deaths,
Delayed referrals for patients with under the radar. It is harder to 1,000 2020 five-year average
potentially serious conditions were also compile these because social Coooovid-19 4
likely to play a role, he said, as well as care services are not part of one 500NS
O
usmnhoekainltgh yo rl odcrkindkoiwngn mlifoersety.les such as bNiHg,S o. vTehraerirc hdianigly b uopddya ltiekse d toh en ot Jan Feb Mar Apr0 Source: Jan Feb Mar Apr0
Sarah Harper, professor of gerontol- tell us how many people have
ogy at the University of Oxford, said died in the past 24 hours, but The national picture Cases Deaths
that changes to the age distribution of how many deaths have been
Total UK 93,873 12,107
the population may have led to reported centrally in that time. Top 10 areas with most cases
increased numbers of deaths. Some have not been included for England 73,183 11,005
Latest available figures
Martin Hibberd, professor of emerg- several days after they occurred. Scotland 6,358 575
as of 4pm, April 14
ing infectious disease at the London The ONS figure includes all Wales 5,848 403
School of Hygiene & Tropical Medi- deaths in which Covid-19 appears
N Ireland 1,967 124
cine, said weekly death totals would be on the death certificate including
“very important” as scientists worked those that occurred outside
Daily new UK cases
to evaluate the government response. hospital. This data is the most
“We know that for some situations, accurate and would inform April
we may be overplaying the role of Cov- government decision-making 5.5k 5.2k 5.2k5.3k
id-19, for example where [it] was men- ordinarily but because of the lag 4.3k 4.6k
3.6k
tioned in a death but where it may have needed for deaths to be properly
played only a minor role,” he said. “In certificated and verified there is a
other situations, a death may not men- delay of about two weeks.
Glasgow
tion coronavirus, even though it may The numbers released
and Clyde
have contributed, possibly as a result of yesterday are still provisional. Daily new UK deaths
the indirect consequences of lockdown There are likely to be more that 1,575 938 881 980 917
and stretched health services.” have not yet been registered, 786 737 778
Professor David Spiegelhalter, of the particularly because of the bank
University of Cambridge, said he was holidays and register office
Medics pay
disturbed by the rise in deaths. “I don’t closures at this time of year.
think I’ve been as shocked when I looked The ONS reports total weekly N Ireland
at something,” he said. “I knew there was death figures, as well as those 1,967 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 the highest
going to be a jump in Covid-registered due to coronavirus. Yesterday Lancashire
deaths. I hadn’t expected such a huge this sparked concern after a rise 1,632
Hertfordshire
number of deaths which didn’t mention of more than 6,000 compared 1,523 Total of prices
it on the death certificate.” with the five-year average in the deaths
Professor Martin Marshall, chair- week to April 3, about half of Birmingham
man of the Royal College of GPs, said: which were not recorded to be 1,884 12,107
“In the sad case that a patient dies in the coronavirus related.
community, GPs — or any other What we cannot tell from data
competent individual — have the released so far is why those other Wales 5,848 Essex 1,562
authority to state a cause of death to the people died. It would be useful to
London 18,472
best of their knowledge and belief. find out, to ascertain if there is The Times
“Covid-19 can be recorded as the any group of patients dying Kent 1,689 T
cause of death based on a reasoned earlier than they might have Coronavirus
clinical assessment, whether or not because, for instance, of some
they have been tested for the virus. restrictions to NHS care during charity appeal
However, a lack of Covid-19 testing at the pandemic.
community level makes it difficult for Hampshire 1,678
GPs to record causes of death Family Action
accurately.” in England and Wales in the week end- the comparable total death toll an- accounted for a third of coronavirus Supporting families in
Under new legislation to deal with ing April 3 was 6,082 higher than the nounced by the government was 4,093. deaths in the week ending April 3. poverty, disadvantage and
the pandemic, doctors do not have to five-year average, but only 3,475 deaths Government announcements cover The number of deaths for the year to social isolation
physically see a patient to certify their of those had Covid-19 mentioned on only deaths in hospitals and many are date — 166,436 — is higher than the 6£50 will buy a month’s nappies,
death. Professor Spiegelhalter said: “I the death certificate. not confirmed as virus-related or re- five-year average, by 2,240. The num- wipes and baby clothes
could understand many doctors not The ONS figures showed that coro- ported for days after they happen. ber of deaths was higher in men than in 6£100 will supply five children with
[being] willing to put Covid on a death navirus deaths were running 52 per One death in five in the week to women in all age groups. In the year to books, activities and crafts
certificate when they’ve neither had cent higher than the total announced April 3 was caused by Covid-19, com- April 3, the ONS said 2,523 men had 6£200 will provide a family with
the test, nor seen the patient.” by the government in daily briefings. By pared with one in 20 the week before. In died of coronavirus and 1,599 women. daily hot meals for a month
Only about half of the 6,000 extra April 3 there had been 6,253 deaths in London, almost half of recorded deaths The highest number of deaths were
deaths were officially because of Covid- England and Wales with Covid-19 men- were coronavirus-related, and in the among those aged 75 to 84, at 1,231. To donate call 0151 284 2336 or visit
19. The weekly total of 16,387 registered tioned on death certificates. On April 4, West Midlands one in five. London Alice Thomson, page 25
the times | Wednesday April 15 2020 2GM 7
NNeewwss
GOFUNDME/PA; ATHENA PICTURE AGENCY
Hefin and Valerie coronavirus in brief
Williams died days
apart. Leilani Medel,
Warning over
a nurse, leaves her
daughter, Carmina.
From top left: Gareth malaria drug
Roberts, Brian
Boggild, Dom Merrix
and Alan Taylor
Researchers investigating whether
a decades-old malaria drug could
combat Covid-19 urged caution
after finding that high doses
appeared to be linked to heart
problems. Chloroquine and the
compound hydroxychloroquine
are being tested around the world,
including in NHS hospitals.
Researchers in Brazil decided to
halt part of a study after they saw
that patients given large doses of
chloroquine had higher chances of
developing irregular heart
rhythms and were more likely to
die. Hopes were raised last month
when a small trial in France
showed that 70 per cent of those
given hydroxychloroquine were
free of Covid-19 within three to six
days. The study was later criticised
for failing to compare the results
carefully against a control group,
but President Trump fêted
chloroquine as a “game-changer”.
A World Health Organisation
official said on Monday that the
drugs were still worth exploring. A
team from Oxford University is
doing everything we can to that as a family we could testing hydroxychloroquine on
ensure PPE is available for not be together.” patients, as well as the HIV drug
health and social care staff.” Brian Boggild, a worker at Lopinavir-Ritonavir and the
Josiane Ekoli, 55, an Blundellsands and Crosby steroid dexamethasone.
agency nurse at Harrogate station, Merseyside, died
District Hospital, died on from the virus. Stitch in time saves staff
Monday in Leeds General Alan Taylor, 96, designer
Infirmary. Her daughter, of the swivelling jib, which Amateur sewing enthusiasts have
Naomie, said she had allows cranes to rotate, died produced thousands of headbands
described the PPE on the alone in Warrington for health workers to relieve the
coronavirus ward where she Hospital on April 3. sores on the back of their ears that
had worked as “poor”. Dom Merrix, 48, died in facemasks cause. The headbands
Leilani Medel, 41, a nurse an ambulance en route to have buttons to loop the masks’
who lived near Bridgend, Queen Alexandra Hospital elastic round. Lianne Abbott, a
died from Covid-19 in Portsmouth, Hampshire. fabric shop owner in
and her husband, also a He had been gasping for Gloucestershire, has collected 255
nurse, is critically ill. breath at home. headbands from volunteers who
Amarante Dias, who James Allsopp, 77, a have responded to social media
worked at the Weston former power station requests from NHS staff.
General Hospital in worker from Misterton in
Weston-super-Mare, Lincolnshire, died on April 7 Holocaust virtual visit
Somerset, died after testing after returning from Cyprus
positive. with a bad cough. Holocaust survivors will make
Dan Bevis, national head The husband of the virtual visits to schools for the first
of ambulance operations at former Labour MP Betty time using Zoom, the video
St John Ambulance, spoke Williams died of the virus conferencing platform. It will
on Twitter about his father’s after twice testing negative. create a live link between people
death from Covid-19. “As a Evan Williams, 79, died in who experienced concentration
paramedic I couldn’t save North Wales on Good camps as children and today’s
my dad and that tears me Friday. A third test came pupils. Mady Gerrard, 90, a
apart,” he said. back positive the next day. survivor of Bergen-Belsen, will
A
nurse who died help the NHS to cope with disease. He paid the Hefin Williams, 80, and A survivor of the meet pupils at Rockwood
after contracting the crisis and was working ultimate price.” his wife, Valerie, 74, from Hillsborough disaster who Academy in Birmingham. It is part
coronavirus had shifts at Llandough Hospital Mr Roberts’s wife, Linda, Great Sankey, in was photographed in an of the Echo Eternal project.
told his family near Cardiff Bay. “He had a was told to attend his Warrington, Cheshire, died image that became famous
that he did not paper mask, plastic gloves bedside at 3am on Saturday less than a fortnight apart has died from coronavirus. Campaign poses fire risk
have proper personal and a pinny,” Janette after it became clear that after contracting the Dave Roland, 65, died last
protective equipment (Will Leonard, a friend of the his condition was coronavirus. The couple had week, days before the 31st A social media campaign to
Humphries, Neil Johnston family, said. “That’s all right deteriorating. He died in fostered 26 children. Marc anniversary of the disaster. release Chinese lanterns — which
and Charlotte Wace write). if you’re making sandwiches Prince Charles Hospital in Williams, their son, said: His family paid a tribute to float using heat generated by
Gareth Roberts, 65, had but not when you’re going Merthyr Tydfil. The Welsh “The hardest part of this him as a “proud Scouser” candles — as a show of support
come out of retirement to to nurse people with the government said: “We are whole situation is the fact who gave joy to everyone. for NHS staff and other key
workers has been criticised as
dangerous. London Fire Brigade
Eamonn Holmes investigated for 5G claim tweeted: “Sky lanterns create litter
and can kill wildlife. Most of all,
they’re a huge fire risk . . . do the
right thing and find another way
Tom Knowles narrative.” The government, scientists, the coronavirus are believed to have to support the heroes of the NHS.”
Technology Correspondent doctors, and technology companies been behind 20 incidents in which
have all released statements confirm- phone masts were set alight in suspect- ‘Cut university fees’
Eamonn Holmes’s suggestion that ing that there is no evidence of a link ed arson attacks over the Easter week-
The Big Issue Foundation there may be a link between 5G mobile between 5G and the spread or symp- end. The fires are thought to have been Students should get a 20 per cent
Working to end poverty networks and the coronavirus will be toms of Covid-19. started by people who believe that rebate on university fees next year,
and exclusion for assessed by Ofcom after more than 400 Ofcom said it would assess Holmes’s burning down masts will protect them the former head of university
The Big Issue sellers people complained to the watchdog. comments as a “priority” after receiv- from the coronavirus. One mast was admissions said. Mary Curnock
6£50 will buy a voucher for food, The presenter told viewers of This ing 419 complaints from viewers. The providing mobile connectivity to the Cook, former chief executive of
toiletries and necessities Morning on ITV that as “someone with remarks were described as “utter Nightingale hospital in Birmingham. Ucas, said that students enrolling
6£100 will cover a vendor’s gas and an inquiring mind” he believed that the rubbish” by scientists and Mark Holmes, 60, tried yesterday to from this autumn would rightly
electricity bills “mainstream media” should not slap Damazer, former controller of Radio 4, “clarify” his comments on 5G techno- feel “hard done by” if they had to
6£200 will buy pots, pans, linen, a down the idea that coronavirus was said the incident had been a “hopelessly logy and the coronavirus pandemic. He pay the full £9,250 fee for virtual
microwave, kettle and radio caused by 5G “when they don’t know irresponsible, philosophically, unbe- said that there was “no scientific lectures. Experts believe it unlikely
it’s not true”. lievably light-headed, stupid piece of evidence to substantiate any 5G that universities will return to
thetimes.co.uk/timesappeal He added that it was “very easy to say broadcasting”. theories” but did not apologise and said normal for the new academic year.
it is not true because it suits the state Conspiracy theories linking 5G with that he had been “misinterpreted”.
8 2GM Wednesday April 15 2020 | the times
NNeewwss Coronavirus
Care home testing to
be expanded amid
hundreds of deaths
Oliver Wright Policy Editor Case study
Ali Mitib
M
All care home residents and social care ost of
staff with Covid-19 symptoms will be the
tested as capacity increases, the gov- residents
ernment will announce today. at Oak
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, Springs
said he was “determined to ensure that spent Easter confined
everyone who needs a coronavirus test to their bedrooms for
should be able to have access to one”. their own safety as
Under the present system, the first they mourned the loss
five symptomatic residents are tested to of two more friends
confirm an outbreak. Mr Hancock said (Charlotte Wace and
this would be expanded to all residents Greg Hurst write). It
with symptoms and all new residents took the total who
discharged from hospital into care. have died with
Every social care worker who needed a suspected coronavirus
test would also have one, he added. there to 16.
The Care Quality Commission “It has been like
(CQC) will be leading the co-ordina- losing 16
tion of testing for the sector. It has of- grandparents in two
fered 6,000 care facilities the chance to weeks,” Andrea
test staff and aims to contact all 30,000 Lyons, the care Carers at Oak Springs, have gone from
care providers by the end of the week. home’s manager, said. including Diana upstairs as you don’t
More than 620 residents at three “That’s how it feels McKindley, below, are want to frighten them
large care home operators in Britain because we spend so trying to keep spirits . . . you can’t get upset
have died after catching coronavirus in much time with the up after 16 deaths in front of your
recent weeks, it was revealed yesterday, residents. It’s so residents, you need to
in the clearest sign yet of the delayed re- traumatic that it is “Normally we may go outside.
porting of such deaths in the sector. hard to put into lose one resident “If they see you’re
HC-One, which runs about 350 words.” every few months and upset, they know
homes, said that as of Monday night Last week was the when they pass away, something is wrong
there had been 311 deaths after con- darkest at the care quite often we go to and I don’t want that
firmed or suspected Covid-19, with out- home in Liverpool, as the funeral and for them.”
breaks at two thirds of its homes. MHA, four residents died in mourn with the An author spoke of
a charitable operator, said there had one day. Staff juggled family. Now so many his anger at the lack
been 210 deaths across 131 homes, with their duties so that people are dying that of testing at another
outbreaks in about half of its homes. residents would not you don’t have a care home, where his
A third provider, Four Seasons Home die alone. chance to get over it. mother fell ill with the
Care, which operates 191 homes, re- “We have all been Staff have been upset virus before she died.
ported at least 100 deaths from suspect- taking it in turns, and crying.” Nadim Saad, who
ed or confirmed cases. It, HC-One and where we each spend There are 51 has written parenting
MHA run less than 5 per cent of facili- 20 minutes with a residents left in the books including Kids
ties in England, suggesting that the resident approaching care home, eight of Don’t Come With a
overall death toll in care homes is likely the end of life so there whom have symptoms Manual, said that
to be more than 1,000, according to The is someone with them of Covid-19. They are Marie Saad, 85,
Guardian. all the time,” Mrs isolated in their developed breathing
On Monday Chris Whitty, the chief Lyons added. “All four rooms, with staff problems at Forrester
medical officer for England, that there were in the same suite doing their best to Court, west London.
were outbreaks in only one in seven as well, which was keep spirits up. An ambulance took
care homes in England. Official figures quite difficult.” Some residents her to hospital but
released yesterday stated that 237 Staff ensured have dementia initially returned her
people died from coronavirus in care that residents and do not to the home before
homes in two weeks. were able to understand she was then admitted
Mike Padgham, of the Independent speak to social to St Mary’s Hospital
Care Group, which represents care their distan- in Paddington where
homes and home care providers, told families cing and she tested positive for
the Daily Mail that he believed the virus only by isolation. coronavirus and died
could have claimed the lives of at least Facetime Diana three days later.
4,000 residents. and on McKind Mr Saad, 46, twice
Yvonne Doyle, medical director of the ley, one phoned her care home
Public Health England, said she accept- phone. of the to tell them that all
ed that the daily death figures pub- “It has carers, staff should be tested.
lished by the government were incom- taken its said: “You He said: “I was so
plete because they only included hospi- toll on staff try not to angry. If everyone was
tal deaths. She said she hoped that immensely,” mention tested and everyone is
officials working with the Office for Mrs Lyons that protected it would Russian roulette claim on
National Statistics would soon be able said. people save many lives.”
to publish daily figures of those dying in
the community but admitted it was a
challenge to gather accurate data. just need to be absolutely clear that the to understand the true scale of the Kat Lay Health Correspondent Samantha Batt-Rawden, president of
Baroness Altmann, a Conservative cause of death that is attributed is cor- spread, the number of deaths in care the Doctors’ Association UK, told The
former pensions minister, said that care rect. And that is what takes time.” homes should be released daily in the Hospitals have been accused of “playing Guardian: “This is a scandal which
home residents were “being aban- The CQC said that from this week same way as they are for hospital Russian roulette with doctors’ lives” shows a flagrant disregard for the safety
doned like lambs to the slaughter”. care providers would be able to report deaths,” he said. after abandoning checks to determine of frontline NHS staff.
Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, insisted which deaths were of people with sus- Sally Copley, director of policy, cam- whether their personal protective “With mask brands and types
yesterday that the government had not pected or confirmed Covid-19 to give a paigns and partnerships at the Alz- equipment (PPE) fits correctly. regularly changing due to shortages,
“forgotten” about the sector. Mr Sunak “more accurate and timely picture”. It heimer’s Society, said: “If the govern- Usually staff are given a “fit-test” to sometimes shift to shift, doctors are
and Ms Doyle said that the govern- has not said how often this data will be ment isn’t counting these deaths, how determine the correct make of now going in blind, with no way of
ment was not trying to suppress the published. can it be taking the urgent and necessa- facemask for them. This involves spray- knowing whether a particular mask will
mortality figures but added it was a Niall Dickson, chief executive of the ry action to address them?” ing a chemical and seeing if they can give them any protection whatsoever. It
challenge to get timely data across the NHS Confederation, said it was vital Letters, page 26 taste it. In some hospitals, staff have now is simply unacceptable to play Russian
sector compared with the NHS. “We that delays were minimised. “If we are Leading article, page 27 been told to do only a manual check. roulette with doctors’ lives.” Hospitals
the times | Wednesday April 15 2020 2GM 9
NNeewwss
MAYTRIX GROUP/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES; REUTERS Ventilators delayed as industry
waits for designs to be approved
Sean O’Neill Chief Reporter NHS and the new consortia that are The defence industry giant Babcock
making ventilators. The fact they are has worked with a medical manufactur-
Regulators have yet to approve any new placing firm orders and in some cases er to produce a design and is waiting for
intensive care ventilators despite paying up front suggests they believe approval from the MHRA. Jon Hall,
industry putting forward a range of de- that they will get MHRA approval and Babcock’s managing director for
signs in response to the government’s get it soon. Everyone in medical devices technology, said: “Combining our engi-
call for a national effort against the cor- is in the same situation. We’re really neering expertise with advances in
onavirus. pushed but we’re responding.” medical technology has resulted in a so-
The Times understands that at least The Cabinet Office, led by Michael lution that will help the NHS save lives.”
ten ventilators are at an advanced Gove, is co-ordinating the ventilator ef- Also in the queue for approval are de-
design stage and under review by the fort and said that it was in discussions vices made by Smith & Nephew, which
medical regulator. One components with manufacturers and suppliers. is poised to manufacture thousands in
supplier said he had firm orders to pro- Officials said the new ventilators had Hull, and Plexus, which has sites in
vide parts for the manufacture of more to be tailored to remove fluids from Kelso in the Scottish Borders and
than 50,000 ventilators. lungs more frequently than machines Livingston, West Lothian. Sagentia,
An explanation for some of the hold- used in other respiratory illnesses. This based in Cambridge, is also at an ad-
ups lies in changing specifications for guidance meant that one design put vanced stage with its ventilator bid.
the new machines as doctors gain a forward by the Renault and Red Bull The MHRA has approved a number
better understanding of how Covid-19 Formula One teams had to be ruled out. of oxygen support devices for use
affects the lungs. The consortium making the Penlon outside intensive care, including one
The Medicines and Healthcare prod- device includes Airbus, Dell, Ford, put forward by the Mercedes F1 team.
ucts Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is Meggitt, Rolls-Royce and other leading A Cabinet Office spokesman said:
expected to license one device — a companies. It has already scaled up “The ventilator challenge is delivering
Veteran, 99,
modification of an existing intensive production of the ParaPAC portable the prime minister’s vision to manufac-
care ventilator — this week. The ma- ventilator used by ambulance crews. ture safe, easy-to-use and effective ven-
walks to chine, made by Penlon in collaboration Other designs under advanced con- tilators in the fight against Covid-19.
with the VentilatorChallengeUK con- sideration include a device from Dyson, “We have put clinicians at the fore-
sortium, is being trialled in hospitals. which is working with JCB, and which front of this process, and are continual-
raise millions Other new ventilators, however, will has prepared a new production line in ly reviewing the clinical evidence to en-
not be available until the peak of the Wiltshire. The entrepre- sure we are providing
outbreak is expected to have passed. neur Sir James Dys- the NHS with the
A
99-year-old Second One medical supplies company said on aims to make tools it needs. The
World War army veteran it had received orders to provide parts 15,000 ventilators government has al-
who set out to collect for tens of thousands of ventilators in for the NHS and ways maintained all
£1,000 for the NHS had addition to supplying components for the global effort devices are subject
raised over £4 million by the NHS’s existing stock. “We are at full against the virus. to rigorous standards
last night (Valentine Low writes). stretch at the moment . . . we have tri- set out by the MHRA,
Tom Moore aims to complete 100 pled our workforce,” a supplier said. Specifications for new including clinical trials
laps of his Bedfordshire garden “My order book is full supplying the ventilators have altered in hospitals.”
before his 100th birthday on April
30. More than 98,000 people have UK too slow to ramp up Empty beds at
donated to his fundraising page.
He began raising funds to thank
Britain’s first
the “magnificent” NHS staff who testing, admits adviser
helped him with treatment for
cancer and a broken hip. Nightingale
Mr Moore, who walks with a
frame and is completing his Rhys Blakely Science Correspondent ing to data collated by the Worldometer
challenge in ten-lap chunks, wrote website. “Testing is incredibly impor-
on Twitter: “When I started this Coronavirus testing was scaled up too tant,” Sir Patrick said. “It needs to be Ali Mitib
journey last Monday, my target was slowly, the government’s chief scientific done at scale, and rapidly enough to
£1,000 for our incredible NHS. No adviser admitted, as other public health look at outbreaks and isolate.” London’s newly constructed Nightin-
words left . . . just thank you.” experts warned that Downing Street Officials had previously played down gale hospital has remained largely
He had trained as a civil engineer could face “an unforgiving reckoning” the importance of testing. Jenny Har- empty with just 19 patients being
before enlisting in the army, rising for its early handling of the crisis. ries, deputy chief medical officer for treated at the facility over the weekend,
to become a captain. He is known as Sir Patrick Vallance told ITV that in England, said on March 26 that the according to leaked figures.
Captain Tom. “When you think of the first days of the outbreak testing World Health Organisation’s exhorta- According to draft plans, the tempo-
who it is all for — all those brave had been “at the right level” and Public tion to “test, test, test” did not apply to rary hospital in the Docklands is de-
and super doctors and nurses we Health England made a “a good start”. Britain because “we have an extremely signed to have 2,900 intensive care
have got — I think they deserve He conceded, however, testing was well developed public health system in beds and 750 additional beds.
every penny, and I hope we get some then “not scaled as fast as it needs to this country”. The government wants In early March there were fears that
more for them too,” he said. scale”. to achieve 100,000 tests a day by the London’s existing intensive care units,
Ellie Orton, chief executive of With Britain’s death toll from the end of this month. which had a total of about 770 beds,
NHS Charities Together, said: “I virus at 12,107, Helen Ward, professor of A spokesman for the prime minister would be overwhelmed by coronavirus
think I absolutely join the rest of the public health at Imperial College said yesterday there had been “signifi- patients. This led national leaders to
country in being truly inspired and London, said it was “very sad so many cant progress” in the attempt to im- seek a four-fold increase in ICU capa-
profoundly humbled by Captain people have died, and so many more are prove testing, with nearly 43,000 staff city and to build the Nightingale Hospi-
Tom and what he has achieved. desperately ill because politicians re- and their families tested so far. On Sun- tal at the Excel conference centre.
Thank you for being an inspiration fused to listen to advice”. She wrote on day, 2,630 tests were carried out on However, internal data seen by the
and a role model.” Twitter: “We said lockdown earlier, we NHS workers and their families. The Health Service Journal (HSJ) suggests
Meanwhile the fugitive Russian said test, trace, isolate. They decided spokesman said that the programme that established hospitals have been
oligarch Andrey Borodin, 51, and his they knew better. There will be a reck- was “heading in the right direction”. able to double their ICU capacity on ex-
wife, who live in Oxfordshire, have oning, and it will not be forgiving.” Other experts called for more to isting sites, raising the total available
donated £1 million to the NHS. However, a specialist in mathemati- be done to build the ability to ICU beds in the capital to 1,555.
Emma Duncan, page 24 cal epidemiology at the University of trace cases of Covid-19 after The data also showed that about 80
Manchester said Europe’s leaders had lockdown measures are re- per cent of these beds were occupied
generally acted sensibly. Thomas laxed. The government’s em- on Easter Sunday, suggesting that
hospital facemask checks House said: “It is important to hold the phasis has been on a smart- London’s established hospitals have
government to account — but the idea phone app to track been coping with the surge in demand.
there was a ‘quick fix’ that would who people come The low number of patients at
have made all this go away will be into contact with London Nightingale is thought to be
have also reported that they are still approach to a more sustainable [proven false] over the next once they have influenced by the tight criteria that
living “day to day” on their stocks of approach the better. But that depends year.” reported symp- patients must fulfil to be admitted
PPE, with a shortage of gowns a on the stock the NHS ordered weeks Britain has carried out about toms. there, which excludes the frailest
particular problem. They have been lent ago actually starting to flow consistent- 5,400 tests per million The NHS’s patients.
supplies by utility companies, vets, local ly and reliably.” population. France and technology According to data, southwest
authorities and police forces as they 6A government-chartered Virgin Sweden are at the same levell arm, NSX, is London has the most spare capacity,
wait for the equipment promised by the Atlantic flight arrived from China yes- while the US is at developing the with 67 per cent of ICU beds occupied
government. terday carrying 690,000 facemasks and 8,894 and Germany tool with Apple on Sunday. North London had the
Saffron Cordery, director of policy at 95,000 visors. Dominic Kennedy, man- is at 15,730, accord- and Google and least, with 86 per cent of beds occupied.
NHS Providers, which represents aging director of Virgin Atlantic’s cargo intends it to An NHS England spokesman said
health service trusts, said: “The entire division, said the airline was “playing a Sir Patrick Vallance work across the the data “confirm continuing success in
NHS is doing the best it can but the part” in support for the NHS by carry- said testing was iPhone and An- ensuring we have available capacity to
sooner we move from this day-to-day ing crucial medical supplies to the UK. incredibly important droid systems. look after patients who need our care”.
10 2GM Wednesday April 15 2020 | the times
NNeewwss Coronavirus
Merkel considers opening schools
Oliver Moody Berlin Austria’s schools will remain closed
until at least the middle of May. Lockdown penalty for MP Cases spreading across the globe
Angela Merkel is considering a plan to Germany’s way forward remains
reopen Germany’s primary schools as uncertain. Its coronavirus outbreak DENMARK
she prepares to discuss a strategy for appears to have passed its initial peak ITALY
NETHERLANDS
loosening the country’s coronavirus and the number of confirmed Covid-19 Italy has begun a limited relaxation of
restrictions. cases — slightly over 130,000 — is its lockdown by allowing bookshops, ICELAND
As its smaller neighbours, including growing at a relatively sedate 2 per cent stationers and children’s clothes shops CANADA BELGIUM
Austria and the Czech Republic, slowly a day, roughly the same pace recorded to reopen in many regions and forestry IRELAND
begin to relax their lockdowns, in Italy. and gardening to resume.
SWITZERLAND
Germany is torn over how and when to The 26 experts from the Leopoldina Lombardy, Piedmont and Trentino,
begin easing its own constraints. said that public life could be “gradually among the worst affected regions of
Mrs Merkel’s most influential circle normalised”, with shops, restaurants the north, maintained quarantine rules. US PORTUGAL
of science advisers is arguing that and bars gently phased back into Sara Cunial, 40, became the first MP
SAN MARINO
younger children should return to business so long as people kept their to be fined for breaching quarantine
school as soon as possible, with distance from one another, wore masks rules when she was stopped on the MOROCCO
obligatory facemasks and a maximum on public transport and ensured that road from Rome to the beach resort of DOMINICAN
class size of 15 to try to minimise the the infection rate remained “stable”. Ostia. Ms Cunial, who had previously REPUBLIC
spread of disease between households. They called on the government to been expelled by the Five Star GREECE
MEXICO
Pupils would study a bare-bones step up its diagnostics programme, with Movement, said she was travelling for
curriculum of German and maths and representative panels of patients from her work, and was fined €248 (£217). COLOMBIA
take staggered breaks to reduce their across Germany being repeatedly Discussion has begun on a possible
social mixing under the proposals tested to act as a “coronavirus reopening of schools in September, Most new cases
drawn up by two dozen experts from seismograph” indicating the true with reduced classes and online 1 US 23,526
the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, extent of the disease. lessons. There could be plexiglass
nicknamed the “Merkel-whisperers” They argued that the government cubicles on the beach when Italians are 2 France 6,524
ECUADOR
for the regard in which they are held by should appeal to people’s common eventually allowed to go to the seaside. 3 UK 5,252
the chancellor. sense and better natures rather than 4 Turkey 4,062
While half a dozen European enforcing social distancing through COLOMBIA BRAZIL
5 Italy 2,972
countries have already begun gradually fines and prison sentences. “An Colombia has introduced “gender PERU
emerging from their lockdowns over intrinsic motivation based on self- distancing” in the capital, Bogota, 6 Russia 2,774
the past few days, their approaches preservation and solidarity is more alternating the days when men and 7 Spain 2,442
have been markedly different. important than the threat of sanctions,” women can leave their houses to buy 8 Iran 1,574
Denmark and Norway have they said. food and medicine. CHILE
9 Brazil 1,490
prioritised schools, partly to avoid The group put special emphasis on The policy, pico y genero, is based
causing too much disruption to a bringing back primary and early-stage on the pico y placa rules that limit the 10 Germany 1,287
generation of children and teenagers, secondary schools — covering an age days vehicles can enter the city. 46 China 89
but also to take the pressure off working range from six to the early teens — On the first day there were long
parents. Danish pupils are expected to because older pupils fare better with queues of men outside supermarkets ARGENTINA
return to the classroom today, with distance learning and nursery-age and 104 women were sanctioned for Countries reporting most deaths
Norwegian primary schools opening to children are too young to understand going out. Transsexuals have been told
children aged between six and ten at the need for hygiene measures. to go out on the day that corresponds Cases/ Deaths/ China 82,249 3,341 57 2
Cases Deaths 1m pop 1m pop
the end of the month. Mrs Merkel signalled last week that to the gender they identify with. Germany 131,359 3,294 1,568 39
However, the Austrian and Czech she would pay close attention to the Colombia has introduced strict US 610,467 25,854 1,844 78 Netherlands 27,419 2,945 1,600 172
authorities have allowed small shops to “very important” report. The lockdown rules despite having 2,800 Italy 162,488 21,067 2,687 348 Brazil 24,920 1,489 117 7
Spain 172,541 18,056 3,690 386 Turkey 65,111 1,403 772 17
open first in an attempt to inject some Leopoldina, founded in 1652 and the cases, a relatively low number of
France 143,303 15,729 2,195 241 Switzerland 25,936 1,174 2,997 136
activity into their ailing economies. world’s oldest scholarly society, drew infections, and 112 deaths. The UK 93,873 12,107 1,383 178 Sweden 11,445 1,033 1,133 102
not only on the views of leading medi- lockdown, which began in March, will Iran 74,877 4,683 891 56 Canada 26,897 898 713 24
Back to class in Beijing cal scientists but also on disciplines last at least until April 27. Belgium 31,119 4,157 2,685 359 Portugal 17,448 567 1,711 56
such as law, psychology, history and
physics, for its coronavirus panel. INDIA
Beijing is preparing to reopen some Yet its views will not necessarily The lockdown was extended to May 3, law that allows 45,000
schools as the authorities grow become government policy. Yesterday although Narendra Modi, the prime prisoners to be temporarily
more confident in the country’s the Robert Koch Institute, the medical minister, hinted that some restrictions released to ease
efforts to control the virus. agency running Germany’s testing may be relaxed after April 20. overcrowding. The prisoners
Education officials announced campaign, warned against complacen- Mr Modi highlighted the suffering of will be released under
that graduating students in high cy, noting that the virus’s reproduction labourers who had no money for food supervision until the end of
schools would return on April 27. rate — the average number of people and were separated from their families. May, when there will be a
Those in the last year of middle each patient infects — is still 1.2. Any “It is one of my priorities to reduce review. Those imprisoned on
school would be back on campus on figure above one suggests growth. their problems,” he said. He thanked terrorism charges, including
May 11, while the reopening dates “It’s too early to speak of contain- Indians for behaving like “disciplined many journalists, opposition
for other grades would be ment,” Lothar Wieler, the institute’s soldiers” to save the nation. activists and those accused
announced later. president, said. “We are seeing a decel- He urged people to download an app of plotting a coup against
Schools have been closed in the eration . . . [but] we cannot determine developed by the government to track President Erdogan, are not
capital since mid-February. Beijing whether the number of cases is falling. the spread of the virus. The app, which eligible for release.
will be one of the last in the country We should stick to the discipline we uses the government’s database of Seventeen prisoners and
to reopen, largely because of have shown over the past few weeks.” those who have tested positive and 79 prison staff are known to
heightened pressures to contain the Today Mrs Merkel, 65, will meet the their location, alerts users when they have been infected.
virus due to the city’s political chief ministers of the 16 German states have come within about 6ft of an Mr Erdogan has
importance. to plot a course for the weeks ahead. infected person. announced that parts of the
All teachers and students must Some, such as Armin Laschet, the country will be put into full
clear a temperature check before chief minister of North Rhine- TURKEY lockdown again this
they enter the campus and they will Westphalia and the most widely tipped The Turkish parliament has passed a weekend.
be required to wear masks. They will contender to succeed the chancellor
also undergo two more temperature when she retires next year, are pressing
checks during the day. for prompt action. Fear of reinfection grows after 124
Schools will be required to collect Others, however, have already taken
health information of both teachers pains to manage expectations. Michael
and students and report the data to Müller, the mayor of Berlin, said there
the city’s authorities. would be no relaxation of the rules in
Beijing has had no new infections the capital before April 27, while Jens Richard Lloyd Parry Asia Editor immunity. “The virus will be divided those who have got over the virus will
for three days, although China as a Spahn, the federal health minister, and incubated, and genes will of course acquire a degree of immunity to it
whole yesterday reported 89 new spoke only of “cautious first steps”. South Korea has identified a growing be analysed,” the deputy director of the which will over time reduce contagion.
cases, 86 of them among travellers Markus Söder, the chief minister of number of people who make an appar- KCDC, Kwon Jun-wook, said. “We are But the relapses in South Korea under-
arriving from abroad, but no new Bavaria, who will act as chairman of the ent recovery from the coronavirus only closely looking into possible genetic line how much remains unknown
deaths. meeting, cautioned against “over- to test positive again, raising fears that changes.” about the disease.
Across the country, 1,170 people promising” liberalising measures in a the virus is capable of striking the same Among the 460,000 people around Asked whether she feared a second
remain under treatment for Covid-19, “bidding contest” for popularity. person more than once. the world thought to have recovered wave of the virus, Kang Kyung-wha,
while another 1,077 people are Public opinion is divided. Forty per The Korea Centres for Disease Con- from the virus so far, the number of South Korea’s foreign minister, ac-
suspected to have the disease or cent of Germans would like restrictions trol and Prevention (KCDC) reported relapsed patients in South Korea is knowledged that “[of] those fully cured
have tested positive but are showing to be relaxed or abolished by the end of 124 “relapsed” cases of Covid-19 yester- small, and doctors warn that in the and released, many of them have been
no symptoms. The country’s total this week while 44 per cent want them day, an increase of eight from the day absence of systematic research it is too found to test positive a few days after”.
death toll stands at 3,341 out of extended and 12 per cent want them before. Doctors are urgently investi- early to jump to conclusions. She emphasised that the reason for
82,249 cases. toughened, according to a YouGov poll gating whether mutations in the virus Most experts and health authorities patients testing positive for the virus
published on Monday. can prevent patients from acquiring an are working on the assumption that twice was still not fully known. One