Coronavirus pandemic news from Britain

This 1 April 2020 British TV video says about itself:

[Conservative] Communities’ Secretary Robert Jenrick clashes with Piers Morgan over the government’s lack of testing for Covid-19. The UK’s current testing rate is around 10,000 a day – but Germany is managing up to 500,000 a week. Piers and Susanna quiz Jenrick over the UK’s testing numbers and the government’s stance on people continuing to go out to work.

By Lamiat Sabin in Britain, Wednesday, April 1, 2020:

‘No immediate prospect’ of widespread Covid-19 testing for healthcare workers, NHS chief says

THE government came under increasing pressure over Covid-19 testing today as Britain experienced its biggest day-on-day rise in deaths so far.

Some 2,352 patients have died in hospital after testing positive for the virus as of 5pm on Tuesday, the Department of Health said.

This figure is up by 563 from 1,789 the day before.

By Bethany Rielly in Britain, 2 April 2020:

More doctors report being ‘gagged’ on PPE shortages

MORE doctors have reported being gagged from speaking out against shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), despite government promises to end the silencing of NHS whistleblowers.

A dossier of evidence collated by the Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK), a medic-led campaign group, revealed on Tuesday widespread warnings to NHS staff not to speak to journalists.

It included at least two cases where medics were sent home for raising concerns over the lack of PPE.

By Bethany Rielly in Britain, 1 April 2020:

GP apologises for asking sick patients to sign ‘do not resuscitate’ forms if they contract Covid-19

A GP surgery in south Wales has apologised after asking people with serious illnesses to sign “do not resuscitate forms” if their health deteriorates after contracting coronavirus.

The Llynfi Surgery, in Maesteg, sent a letter to a “small number” of patients on Friday recommending they sign a do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) form.

The form would ensure that emergency services would not be called and resuscitation not performed if the patient’s health were to deteriorate from Covid-19.
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By Bethany Rielly in Britain, 2 April 2020:

Key workers risking their lives on poverty pay must be paid at least £15 an hour, union demands

KEY WORKERS risking their health for poverty wages must be paid at least £15 per hour, a union is demanding.

Over three million essential workers are at high risk of exposure to the virus, according to a study by economic think tank Autonomy.

Yet more than one million of them are going home with extremely low wages, receiving pay below the poverty line.
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By Alan Jones in Britain:

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

FIRMS should be closed down if they fail to comply with rules aimed at keeping workers safe, unions demanded today.

The TUC called on the government to take fresh steps to protect people still going into work, and said anyone who feared for their safety should not face punishment or dismissal.

Unions have voiced concerns that many employees who cannot work from home are being exposed to unnecessary Covid-19 risk because their employers are not putting adequate safety measures in place.

Nightingale field hospital completed in London to cope with mass coronavirus deaths. By Richard Tyler, 2 April 2020. While clearly the new hospital is a much-needed facility, given the criminal starving of resources in Britain’s health care system, for many who are taken there it will be little more than a waiting room for the dying.