UK mourns fallen front-line workers, expands virus testing
29 April, 2020
The UK held a minute's silence Tuesday for all front-line workers who've died from the coronavirus, as the federal government extended its testing program and concerns mounted about the rising death toll in care homes.
As clocks struck 11 a.m., senior political leaders, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, joined hospital and nursing home staff in observing the silence. London's transport networks came to a halt as staff honored colleagues who've died from COVID-19, and the bells of Westminster Abbey went silent.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said 85 front-line employees in the National Health Service had died from the virus, while another 19 have died in care homes.
“These are the country's fallen heroes and we will remember them,” Hancock said at the government's daily briefing.
The minute's silence have been campaigned for by the Unison union, the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal of College of Nursing, a lot of whose members have complained about insufficient supplies of personal protective equipment.
“A much greater task now remains - to stop more joining the tragic number of anyone who has died," said Donna Kinnair, leader and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing.
Johnson, who returned to work Monday after dealing with COVID-19, has said he won't risk another peak in the virus by relaxing lockdown restrictions too soon, while acknowledging that the country was appearing out of the “first phase of the conflict.”
The federal government has set five tests for an easing of restrictions from their current end-date of May 7, including “a sustained and consistent” fall in the daily death count.
Over the past little while, it is becoming clear that daily coronavirus-related deaths in UK hospitals have trended lower while the number being hospitalized, particularly in London, has fallen. On Tuesday, Hancock said another 586 persons died in UK hospitals, taking the total to 21,678.
Those figures don't include deaths outside hospitals such as for example care homes. Hancock said more comprehensive daily figures will be published from Wednesday.
Earlier, any office for National Statistics revealed that 22,351 persons in England and Wales died in the week ending April 17. That was the highest since comparable records commenced in 1993 and a lot more than double the rolling five-year average.
In its analysis of death certificates, which take longer to compile than deaths recorded in hospitals, the statistics agency said the coronavirus was mentioned as a reason behind death in 8,758 cases, almost 40% of the full total.
In addition, it said 4,316 deaths involving COVID-19 had been registered up to April 17 beyond hospitals with 3,096 in care homes. The same figure for hospital deaths over that period was 14,796.
Provisional figures since April 17 given the help of a regulator, the Care Quality Commission, indicate the daily death count in care homes in England and Wales heading towards the rate in hospitals.
Hancock said the government's testing program was being expanded, including to all or any staff and residents in care homes if they show symptoms or not. Anyone over 65, and all personnel who must leave their homes to work, are also eligible if indeed they show virus-like symptoms.
Hancock also said the united kingdom government position hadn't changed on face coverings, saying there is “weak science” on the use. Earlier, the Scottish government recommended their use for shopping and travel, the most recent point of divergence between your UK government and the devolved administration.
Source: japantoday.com
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