Tag: BBC

It had previously been reported that Dr Sebastianpillai had retired, but the BBC has been told this was not the case. “It is with great sadness that I confirm the death of a consultant geriatrician who was part of the team at Kingston Hospital,” a trust spokeswoman said. “Dr Anton Sebastianpillai died on Saturday having been cared for in the hospital’s intensive care unit since 31 March. “We would like to extend our sincere condolences to his family.” ‘Hugely respected’ Dr Sebastianpillai trained at the Peradeniya Medical School in Sri…

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“I was really upset, I felt my son was being penalised for something beyond his control,” she says. ‘I don’t want a flight voucher, where’s my refund?’ ‘The future of our nursery is pretty bleak’ Since 21 March, UK nurseries have only been allowed to serve the children of key workers, leaving many almost empty and forcing some to temporarily shut. But some parents are still being asked to carry on paying some or all of their monthly fees as a retainer to hold their child’s place, with bills stretching…

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Why are planes still flying? Despite slashing its flight schedule amid travel restrictions, BA is still operating some flights to destinations such as New York, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the US, where more than 6,000 people have died. This week the airline also helped repatriate hundreds of British nationals from Peru. Along with other UK-based airlines, BA is now working with the Foreign Office to bring back people who are stuck abroad. Image copyright Getty Images And BBC News has learnt that Public Health England has suggested…

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The coronavirus crisis is throwing many pregnant women’s birth plans up in the air and leading some health trusts to increase home births. The image captured hearts on social media 10 days ago. Faolán, Gaelic for “little wolf”, was born in Drogheda in Ireland on Saturday 14 March and a few days later his grandfather dropped round to see him – through the window. He stayed for 10 minutes, gazing at his first grandchild. Skip Twitter post by @emmabethgall Three generations of social distancing as my dad meets his grandson…

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The site is a distribution centre for the online clothing store and is on the list of government exemptions that can stay open during the current shop closures. One ASOS employee told Newsbeat they were “frightened for their families as well as themselves” because workers in the warehouse aren’t able to keep two metres apart, as instructed by the government’s social-distancing measures. ‘Additional health and safety measures’ ‘Mike’, who didn’t want to give his real name, worries that people are at risk. “They don’t want to be taking the virus…

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Prior to that vote, abortion was only allowed in very limited circumstances. It fell to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) to come up with a framework to oversee the provision for abortion services. Last week, the regulations were made public for the first time and set out when and where abortions could take place, as well as who could carry them out. Terminations will be legal up to 12 weeks without conditions. Plenty of questions remain In order for an abortion to take place, one medical professional will be required…

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And last week an organ transplant consultant died after testing positive for the virus. Prof Andrew Goddard, the head of the Royal College of Physicians, said “about one in four” of its workforce was currently off work, either with symptoms or isolating because family members have symptoms. “I’ve got lots of colleagues sitting at home with family members. They themselves don’t have symptoms and are chomping at the bit to try and get back to work,” he said, adding that widespread testing would mean staff who are well can return…

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In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, health workers are already being tested. How fast is the coronavirus growing in the UK? How to understand the number of coronavirus deaths UK tourists in India complain of being ‘abandoned’ The jump in deaths is the biggest day-on-day increase the UK since the outbreak began. The number of deaths is 34% higher than Friday’s figure. The new figures include a further 246 people in England, with patients aged between 33 and 100 years old. All of them had underlying health conditions except 13…

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What’s it like dealing with floods then coronavirus? Lauren Forward’s business, Little Friends Playgroup, in Taff’s Well, was submerged by the floodwaters in February. Image copyright PA Media Image caption Caroline Jones showed First Minister Mark Drakeford around her flood-damaged home – now she misses her neighbours Caroline Jones, 56, is in rented accommodation in Cardiff after escaping when water poured into her Nantgarw home, in Rhondda Cynon Taff. “It’s quite hard to be in a house with just a TV. It’s quite depressing. I want to be in my…

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Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionChancellor Rishi Sunak announced the grant Self-employed workers can apply for a grant worth 80% of their average monthly profits to help them cope with the financial impact of coronavirus, the chancellor has announced. The money – up to a maximum of £2,500 a month – will be paid in a single lump sum, but will not begin to arrive until the start of June at the earliest. Rishi Sunak told the self-employed: “You have not been forgotten.” Wage subsidies of 80%…

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Detainees told the BBC they have been sent a note informing them that emergency measures would be introduced requiring them to remain in their rooms with controlled access to showers and fresh air. In normal circumstances, most detainees in IRCs are released back into the community after they are found to have a right to remain in the UK or while they are awaiting the outcome of their case. Detainees and charities say three of the UK’s seven immigration removal centres currently have people quarantined with symptoms of coronavirus. Five…

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Taylor Wimpey, which builds over 10,000 homes a year, said this week that it was closing all of its sites “because we believe it is the right thing to do”. Barratt, meanwhile, said it would close 400 sites and offices to prioritise “the health and safety of customers and employees”. Persimmon said it would stop all but essential work, while the majority of HS2 sites had “paused or are pausing construction works,” a spokesperson for the project said. But Cairn Construction, which built 2,200 homes last year, was among those…

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The Underground network has been hugely reduced by Transport for London (TfL) with 40 stations shut and many services cut back. A SIMPLE GUIDE: What are the symptoms? AVOIDING CONTACT: Should I self-isolate? STRESS: How to protect your mental health LOOK-UP TOOL: Check cases in your area MAPS AND CHARTS: Visual guide to the outbreak View comments

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“They will get a letter from their GP or consultant asking them to take the most drastic action of all. “For 12 to 16 weeks, not leaving their homes at all so they have the maximum shielding from the virus.” Coronavirus in Wales: Live updates on the outbreak Coronavirus: Advice for people with health conditions PM in Mother’s Day warning as virus ‘accelerates’ The first minister said “we are still at the start of the curve” and the pace of the disease will continue to quicken. It is therefore important…

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Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionVinnie Jones said the “fantastic gift” of a new heart gave his late wife Tanya an extra 32 years of life Ex-footballer Vinnie Jones, whose wife received a life-saving heart transplant, has welcomed a change in organ donation law. Tanya Jones, who died last year, had a heart transplant three decades earlier and the sportsman turned actor has told BBC Inside Out it changed their lives. After her heart collapsed while giving birth, Tanya received a donation, believed to be from a…

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