Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At One 20200401

The prince of wales, who has himself recovered from coronavirus, sends a message of support particularly to older people. None of us can say when this will end, but end it will. Until it does, let us try and live with hope, and with faith in ourselves and each other, look forward to better times to come. In sport, for the First Time Since world war ii, wimbledon could be cancelled today. A meeting about the championships is continuing this afternoon. Good afternoon, and welcome to the bbc news at one. Hospitals in england have been urged to use any spare Laboratory Capacity to test more self isolating nhs staff for the coronavirus amid growing pressure to increase testing. It comes as a 13 year old boy became the youngest person in the uk to die after contracting the virus. His family say they dont believe he had any Underlying Health issues. The government is facing increasing criticism of the lack of Testing Available for front line staff who could return to work if they are found to be clear of the virus. Nhs Officials Say 16,000 staff could be needed at the new Nightingale Hospital in east london. And President Trump has warned americans to prepare for a very, very painful two weeks ahead. More from the us later in the programme. Our first report is by Richard Galpin on the uks response. A cent estimate by the Royal College of physicians suggested a quarter of all nhs doctors had eitherfallen ill or had to self isolate because of concerns about a Family Member showing symptoms. It was the same for many nurses. Testing them for coronavirus would enable many to return to work if found to be in the clear. But the governments been slow to focus on testing in general, and in particular, for Health Workers. So what we are calling for is a National Testing strategy, a strategy to ramp up the Community Testing and contact tracing, like we are seeing in other country, that is how they have been able to beat this virus or get this virus under control and suppressed. So now, nhs england is calling on hospitals to use 15 of their testing capability on staff. The governments going further, saying hospitals should use any spare Laboratory Capacity they have, to test as many nhs staff for the virus as possible. We wa nts the virus as possible. We wants to see more people tested, very rapidly, we do now have enough tests to be testing those people in critical conditions in hospitals, so much so that we can now move forward and test nhs workers and that is very important, because anyone going to work in those situations and doing heroic tasks for us, should be given the equipment they need. But, at the same time, the government and nhs are claiming shortages of vital material are hampering capacity to. Up material are hampering capacity to. Up testing. A top nhs executive has said laboratories could be providing round 100,000 tests a day. But because of a shortage of swabs and chemicals this is being limited to round 13,000 a day. However, the Chemical Industries Association Says it can help. Such is the concern about the slow pace at which testing is being increased, that today, a volunteer network of laboratories has been launched across the country. 0ffering has been launched across the country. Offering to provide hundreds of labs which could switch to coronavirus testing. These could deliver tens of thousands of tests a week. In this fight, each one of these la bs in this fight, each one of these labs and the people in it are like the fighters and Fighter Pilots of the fighters and Fighter Pilots of the battle of britain. A lot of work we do isjust the battle of britain. A lot of work we do is just to give the gps confidence they are not infected and we have had a few that we tested, that had gone immediately into isolation and we were able to confirm they were infected, or that they were not. Meanwhile today, more problems for the government. At this hospital in southend, medical staff are warning management they may limit services in the emergency department, if they do not have the correct protective equipment. They claim the equipment is locked away. The hospital says it is committed to keeping staff safe. Round the country, Health Workers are worried. We are seeing what it is doing to people end it is frightening. I think when you are on shift you get on with it. You are looking after patient and they are the priority, you are being sensible about your ppe. Among those who have died so far in this outbreak, another tragic development. A 13 year old boy has died from the virus, here in kings 13 year old boy has died from the virus, here in Kings College hospital in london. He is thought to be the youngest reported victim of the disease in this country. His family say he had no apparent Underlying Health conditions. Richard galpin, bbc news. Our Health Editor hugh pym is here. Huw, there is confusion now, about the number of people who are actually being tested 7 the number of people who are actually being tested . Yes, testing is so important in the medium term, as restrictions are lifted to see how far the virus might still be spreading in community, never mind that, the short term is to get more nhs front line staff back to work. They may be self isolating because a member of their family is they may be self isolating because a member of theirfamily is ill. That may have symptoms f that can be tested they will know if they have it or not and as richard said, there are it or not and as richard said, there a re clear it or not and as richard said, there are clear shortages now, because people are not able to get into work. The government said for weeks that they are going to ramp up testing to 10,000 and 25,000, we learned yesterday that 25,000 a day target was going to be late april, and it is still not at 10,000, it is at8,000, you and it is still not at 10,000, it is at 8,000, you hear other numbers that the capacity of labs in the nhs hospital sector and Public Health laboratories ist,500 yet they are only doing eight. So there is a disconnect between these numbers and what is happening and the fact that the voluntary sector as we heard there, are coming in and saying we have got lab capacity available, richard generic the minister says in that interview, if the private sector can help us, talk to us, suggests a fairly shambolic situation in whitehall, but i think the message has got through, the government has told hospitals get out and test as many of your staff as you can, as well as the patients they need to do, but i think the front line workers wont believe it is happening until they see it happening in practise. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Lets speak to our assistant political editor, norman smith. Norman, the government surely now under big pressure on this topic . Jane, throughout this crisis, the government has sought to follow meticulously the advice of the scientists and medical community but 110w scientists and medical community but now we find something of a disagreement, a dispute, divide emerging between the government as sections of the scientific and medical community, because the governments explanation for why it has not been able to ramp up testing is as we are heard they cant get hold of the chemical, we dont have the same number of labs as in germany and there is a global scramble to get hold of the tests but large numbers of scientists are saying hang on, we can supply these chemicals, there are plenty of lab, we have about 44 biology labs which could supplement the work done by the government and in terms of the scramble, well, you know, the government should have been out of the blocks sooner. And not to put too fine a point on it, this is turning into a row about the competence of the government in handling the coronavirus crisis, with senior labour figures now piling in, with figures like keir starmer, John Ashworth saying the government needs to get a grip and questioning whether they have been too slow, whether they pursued the wrong strategy at the start of this crisis, when as we remember they we re crisis, when as we remember they were a bit iffy about trying to suppress the virus and going for an early lockdown. And this matters hugely, to all of us, it is notjust the political row, its a health issue for all of us, until and u nless we issue for all of us, until and unless we get a vaccine, many people believe mass testing is the only alternative way to get out of this virus and to end the lockdown early, but unfortunately, mass testing seems a long way off. Norman, for now, thank you very much. Norman, for now, thank you very much. 16,000 menbers of staff may be needed to run the new Nightingale Hospital in east london when its at full capacity. The converted excel centre should be ready to receive its first patients by the end of the week. Angus crawford reports. Welcome back to excel arena down in the royal docks in east london, crowds still pouring into this 10,000 seater. From a time of national celebration. To one of national crisis. The excel has a new role and name. Now, nhs nightingale. An army of civilian contractors, and the military too, transforming this vast space. Cubicles marching towards the camera. This is my last week in the army well, it was, until i got the phone call. So ive built hospitals, planned hospitals around the world, been a commander in med in afghanistan, ive got hospitals in oman, iraq and the balkans, so this is what ive prepared for. Its what i do. In excels two huge exhibition halls, plans for 80 wards, a pharmacy and mortuary. 500 beds to start with, scaling up to 4,000 if needed, at full capacity, with a team of 16,000 people. It will only admit patients already on ventilators, and should be operational by the end of this week. But there are still questions about whether they will get enough ventilators and staff, and how they will cope with the hundreds, possibly thousands of patients who will come through the doors. Some of them will not survive, despite the treatment they receive here. Senior doctors aware of how stressful the job may become. Those staff would be quite used to the realities of dealing with this disease, and these types of patients, including the sad fact that not everybody will survive, is for those staff that might have stepped up to help. They are genuine heroes, that they found it in themselves to actually come and help this facility, and we need to look after them to make sure they can cope with the realities of working in an intensive care unit. Nightingale is almost ready. Its empty beds a sign of the scale of the job which may lie ahead. Angus crawford, bbc news. The prince of wales, who is out of self isolation after testing postitve for coronavirus, has recorded a video message in support of the charity age uk. None of us can say when this will end, but end it will. Until it does, let us try and live with hope and, with faith in ourselves and each other, look forward to better to come. President trump has said people in the us are in the midst of a Great National trial, unlike anything theyve faced before. He said a very difficult two weeks lie ahead the death toll has now passed 4,000. David willis reports. From the white house came the direst warning yet the worst is yet to come. I want every american to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead. We are going to go through a very tough two weeks. And then, hopefully, as the experts are predicting, as i think a lot of us are predicting, having studied it so hard, we are going to start seeing some real light at the end of the tunnel. But this is going to be a very painful. Very, very painful two weeks. Apocalyptic projections from white house advisers point to between 100,000 and 240,000 americans dying from the coronavirus more if social distancing guidelines arent followed. As sobering a number as that is, we should be prepared for it. Is it going to be that much . I hope not and i think the more we push on the mitigation, the less likelihood it would be that number. But, as being realistic, we need to prepare ourselves that that is a possibility that that is what we will see. With more than 3800 deaths here, the number of americans killed by the coronavirus has now exceeded that of china. Of even greater symbolic significance here, the death toll has also exceeded that of september the 11th. And, in new york, the epicentre of the virus, Charity Workers have now set up an emergency Field Hospital in central park. The citys mayor predicts they will soon need triple the number of hospital beds than are currently available here. And not even those that sea are safe from the virus. And not even those at sea are safe from the virus. The captain of a us Aircraft Carrier has called for urgent help to halt an outbreak among his 4000 strong crew. We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die, he wrote in a letter to the pentagon. Having gone from predicting this country would reopen by easter, President Trump is facing the grim reality that the coronavirus is here to stay. With the us possibly on course to become the next italy in this crisis, it looks like posing the greatest challenge yet to his presidency. David willis, bbc news. Well, in italy, figures suggest the rate of new infections is slowing though the number of deaths remains high. Among them are doctors more than 60 have now died, with unions saying medics lack the necessary equipment to fight the outbreak. Mark lowen reports. Perhaps never again in our lifetime will we see rome like this. The virus is sucking the life out of this country. Three weeks on, italys lockdown is set to be extended today until. Well, until the outbreak stops killing. They lowered the flags to half mast across the country to pay tribute. From florence to rome, from italys south to bergamo in the north the town worst ravaged by coronavirus. It is a symbol of National Mourning to mark a month that has torn through italys heart. The country with the highest number of deaths from the virus and the highest fatality rate. Italians need to feel there is an end to the daily loss of hundreds of lives, to the constant mourning. Medical unions say the huge loss of doctors here at least 66 shows a failure to protect those trying to cure it. Translation they worked without the right equipment, like proper masks, and they werent given them. Not enough had been tested. We were completely unprepared. China showed us what we needed to do and we didnt follow it. Its like sending soldiers to war empty handed, unable to defend themselves. We could have avoided these deaths. Doctors paid for their commitment with their lives. We developed a valve. So young, inventive italians have stepped in to help, using 3d printing to develop a valve that turns a sports shop snorkelling mask into a ventilator. The blueprint has been downloaded for free a million times by hospitals in need across the world. Two days ago, it was my birthday and i received a message from brazil in which a doctor said we have had 100 people breathing, thanks to my idea. And i was very, very, happy. I cannot receive a better present for my birthday. The Health Care System too is improvising, Milan Exhibition Centre converted into a new hospital with 200 badly needed intensive care beds. Italy is being forced to adapt to this virus. Running after it, but still too far behind. Mark lowen, bbc news, rome. Scotlands first minister, nicola sturgeon, has said she expects it will be possible to carry out 3,500 tests per day lorna gordon is in glasgow. What has the first minister been saying . The first minister was taking questions from opposition msps across holyrood today and she said everything must be done to protect health and social care workers. At the moment around 1900 tests are carried out each day but she hopes it will reach 3500 by the end of the month. It comes on the day that emergency legislation is debated in the Scottish Parliament and the most controversial part of that, the proposal to hold trials in front of a judge without a jury. The Scottish Government is going back and reworking all that and against all that the news that the edinburgh festivals have been cancelled. No performers, no spectators in edinburgh this year. The streets this summer will be silent. Our top story this lunchtime. Increasing pressure to do more coronavirus testing for nhs staff the government comes under fire to explain the confusion. The artist David Hockney shows us how hes been spending time in isolation. In sport, pay cuts and wage deferrals could be coming to top players as the football season stays on hold. Players and clubs are meeting to discuss all the options over pay and the end of the season. As the row about testing continues, a drug that could help treat the virus is to be trialled on a small number of patients in england and scotland. The studies, which have been fast tracked by the government, will involve 15 nhs centres. 0ur Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes reports. Doctors in china treating the very sickest patients. Here, the desperate search for an effective treatment for covid 19 is already under way, including Clinical Trials of the drug remdesivir, an International Project the uk is about to join. What we really need and what we really want is a specific treatment against coronavirus that delays the infection, treats the infection and, hopefully, makes people better. How hopeful are you that this drug is going to prove to be promising . We are hopeful that it is going to be as promising in humans and those with coronavirus. In my heart, im hopeful. But we do need studies such as this in order to establish how well it works and how best to use it. These trials will take place in 15 hospitals in england and scotland and may involve a relatively small number of patientss to start with around 100 or so, at least at the beginning. Around 100 or so, at least at the beginning. But they are all part of a much bigger global effort to try to find an effective treatment for covid 19. Remdesivir was first developed by scientists at the Pharmaceutical Company gilead. It was initially seen as a possible treatment for ebola. But it has shown potential against other types of coronavirus. It is a Global Health emergency. We are seeing global cooperation. And the scientists behind the drug hope that potential will now be fulfilled. You have had this drug about a decade. What makes you think it is going to be effective against covid 19 . We have been looking at what we call emerging viruses. So we have been looking at viruses that are not necessarily a problem yet, but could be in the future. So remdesivir was a product we had looked out against sars and mers and seen that it had some activity. That is why we thought it was important to understand whether it has a role to play treating patients with covid 19, as quickly as we can. Remdesivir is just one of a handful of drugs being tested on covid 19 patients. Approval processes for drug trials that once took months are now being completed in weeks. It is a measure of how urgent it has become to find an effective treatment. Dominic hughes, bbc news. Nearly a million uk businesses are just weeks from going bust, according to new research. Its found that nearly a fifth of small and Medium Sized Companies are unlikely to get the money they need to survive another month despite promises of unprecedented government support. 0ur economics correspondent andy verity reports. It was billed as the government riding to the rescue of small businesses. They can walk into their local bank Branch Next Week and talk to someone about the Coronavirus Business interruption loan that the government is guaranteeing. But since the scheme went live last week, most Bank Branches arent open. 0nline, and by phone, thousands of businesses whose incomes have plummeted owing to the shutdown cant get through. Or, when they do, they are told either they are not eligible, or the money will take weeks to come through. This nottingham based engineering business was thriving before coronavirus, Offering Services such as High Precision sharpening of tools used by bae to make the f35 fighter jet, or typhoon. Production lines that were halted last week. This is the firm now. With cash collapsing and bills to pay, the firms owner was heartened by an announcement that emergency loans would be available by monday last week. But, since then, it has learned that some lenders are charging Interest Rates of up to 30 and others say the money will take weeks. At the moment, i think too much control is being given to the banks and lenders, the approved lenders to make this happen, and i think it is still chaotic, it seems to be if you are lucky youre banking with the right party, if you are not, you will end up having to close your business. The banks professional body uk finance says members are following the plans set out by the government. Stricken businesses only get the interest free loans if they cant borrow normally, for example by taking a loan out against their property. An Accountancy Network serving thousands of medium sized businesses found that in spite of emergency measures, 18 of the clients either probably or definitely wont be able to get the cash they need to survive in the next four weeks, and if the shut down lasts 12 weeks thatjumps to 32 . The problem for stricken businesses is that they are being expected to borrow their way through this cash flow crisis in a way that leaves all the risks with the business owner. Even if they can get a Business Interruption loan, the guarantees protect not the business, but the bank, and if like many they cant get one, the directors have to sign personal guarantees, and that means if the loan isnt repaid, they could lose almost everything. Further help is coming from grants from local government for retail hospitality and leisure sectors to a Job Retention scheme to pay wages for firms who cant afford to, but a week and a half after the loan scheme was launched there is much confusion and relatively few have been helped and the need for cash is now. Andy verity, bbc news. The impact of the lockdown is being felt across the uk and in ruralareas, living miles from the nearest town brings challenges. Volunteers in powys are trying to ensure that Vulnerable People arent cut off, as our wales correspondent Hywel Griffith reports. Social distancing isnt that hard in one of the least populated places in britain. But for the communities dotted around the hills of powys, the pandemic is still changing lives. Gemma is one of the local Young Farmers trying to care for the older generation. They have spent the last week driving food and medication around the county to people who are already remote and now in self isolation. Right into the sticks, really deep into the countryside, really isolated that dont see anyone, any day of the week. And they rely on going to the shops to see people and to do things and they dont have that now, so even just to see one of us, that probably gives a boost to all those people that are isolated. Many of those that need help live farfrom theirfamilies. Marilyn and john moved here two years ago, knowing there were no shops or public transport. An hourfrom the nearest large hospital, their biggest worry is how john will get the treatment he needs there for a blood condition, next month. How important is it for your health . For me, its probably the single Biggest Issue at the moment. Its a way off. Its not till early may. Who knows what state we will be in by then, but, assuming we are still isolated, if they tell me i cant go, well, thats a bit of a show stopper. Forfarmers, there is real concern over keeping workers well enough to supply the food chain. The local council has been urgently recruiting to keep basic services running. While tourism has shut down, keeping visitors out of the county. Hello. Theres your shopping. Thank you. Some here feel powys may be better prepared than big cities, because people are used to being cut off. Although you cant see anybody here, somebody is always there to help. Let me know if you need anything else. Thats the kind of community it is. You know, you dont live near to anyone, but they are always there. So we are lucky. So far, two dozen cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in powys. Everyone here is braced for that number to rise, and preparing to deal with whatever lies ahead. Hywel griffith, bbc news. Remember, they cant cancel spring. So says the artist David Hockney, who has been producing paintings of trees in blossom on his ipad. Hes in lockdown in france, but has continued to paint in his garden and now hes written to our arts editor will gompertz, and shared some of those images. Birdsong. Dearwill, in 2018,jp, my assistant, and i came to normandy after the window was put up in westminster abbey. We loved it here and i suggested tojp this would be a great place to draw and paint the arrival of spring. There are apple, pear, cherry and plum blossom, with hawthorn and blackthorn. East yorkshire only had blackthorn and hawthorn. We found this house with a large garden that was cheaper than anything in sussex. We bought it. I began straightaway drawing on a japanese foldout book. I drew all around the house and then i drew the house itself. These were exhibited in new york in september 2019. Being a smoker, i do not care for new york, so i never went. We came back here to normandy on march the 2nd and i began drawing the winter trees on my new ipad. I am here withjonathan and jp, my assistants. Then the virus started. We are locked in here, but i dont mind. Itsjonathan, now cut off from his family in harrogate, and jp who feel it more. I went on drawing the winter trees that eventually burst into blossom. This is the stage we are at right now. Meanwhile, the virus is going mad, and many people said my drawings were a great respite from what was going on. Why are my ipad drawings seen as a respite from the news . Well, they are obviously made by the hand, depicting the renewal that is the spring. I intend to carry on with my work, which i now see is very important. We have lost touch with nature rather foolishly, as we are part of it, not outside it. This will, in time, be over. And then what have we learned . Im 83 years old. I will die. The cause of death is birth. The only real things in life are food and love, in that order. Just like our little dog ruby. I really believe this, and the source of art is love. I love life. All my love, david h. Well, thats David Hockneys way of dealing with lockdown. Boxerjoseph parker has chosen something very different. You might remember last week we showed you the video of his hugh grant dancing impression well now hes joined forces with fellow boxer tyson fury and others, to show off their dancing talents. Lets go why do you build me up, build me up, buttercup, baby