Plus, where climate change and Covid-19 meet
| 'Professor Lockdown' quits |
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| | | The UK has now suffered the most coronavirus deaths in Europe, 29,427 according to official statistics, passing the grim toll reached in Italy. But can you make a fair comparison between the two countries? BBC Reality Check says there are differences in terms of population, data gathering and more, that make doing so a challenge. The government says judgements can't be made until the pandemic is over, and plenty of experts agree, but the UK's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, did tell MPs on Tuesday it would have been "beneficial" to have ramped up testing quicker. We wake up this morning to the news that a prominent government adviser, Prof Neil Ferguson, has quit following a Daily Telegraph story that a woman, said to be his "married lover", visited his home during lockdown. Prof Ferguson - whose modelling of the virus's transmission informed the decision to impose social distancing - said he made an "error of judgement" in undermining the rules he'd called for. In other news, most firms reckon they could be ready to restart business with just three weeks' notice. The BBC has spoken to companies in five different sectors about the new ways they're finding to operate. Bad news continues to come from the airline industry though, with job losses at Virgin Atlantic and turbulent air fares on the horizon. We've been answering your questions on furloughing - and other matters - while our health correspondent, Laura Foster, has looked closely at why some people take longer than others to recover from the virus. Finally, something uplifting. For people with special needs and their families the lockdown has been particularly challenging, but in Oxford, an inclusive choir is using music - and technology - to come together. | |
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| Schools have reopened in China's virus epicentre for the first time since the outbreak began. Senior students in Hubei province have returned - but most pupils will remain at home for the time being. In the US, President Donald Trump says the White House coronavirus task force will be winding down, to be replaced by a new group focused on "safety and reopening". New confirmed infections per day in the US currently top 20,000, and daily deaths exceed 1,000. The president said it was not a case of "mission accomplished", but the emphasis was now on "bringing our country back". On a positive note, the Queen has called Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, congratulating him on the country's success in fighting the virus. It comes as Australia prepares to ease restrictions and get millions back to work. Many European nations are relaxing restrictions somewhat too, and Germany's tourism chief has said his citizens may yet be able to have summer holidays abroad. European governments are mulling how to handle the upcoming vacation period. French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Tuesday it was "too soon to say whether we can take holidays" but it would become clear by the start of June. In other stories from around the world, hear about the woman who became, against her will, the face of Indonesia's coronavirus outbreak. And we speak to sailors stuck on their ships for months as ports ban crew transfers. Get all the latest in our live page. | |
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| | | | | Reopening schools is going to be one of the biggest symbolic steps towards loosening the lockdown. It's divided opinion about whether it can be safe - and who should go back first. But there are places, such as Denmark and Germany, where it's already happening. "There was anxiety in the community," says Dom Maher, head of the international section of St Josef's school in Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand. But almost three weeks after reopening, he thinks it has worked better than might have been expected . | |
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| | Sean Coughlan | BBC education correspondent | |
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| | | | The papers react to the news that more people with Covid-19 have died in Britain than in any other European country. "From bad to worst" is the Daily Mirror's take, suggesting ministers are facing "serious questions" about their handling of the crisis. That theme is picked up on the front page of the Guardian, which quotes the president of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association, calling for a public inquiry. The i describes it as a "sobering moment" and expresses hope that ministers are "learning fast" how to adapt their policies. The Daily Mail considers why Britain compares so badly with other nations, suggesting factors like the length of time taken to impose the lockdown and the failure to quickly "ramp up" testing. Elsewhere, the Daily Telegraph leader asks: "Is the government refusing to bail out airlines because it thinks they have no future?" | |
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