The government’s reluctance to put the health of citizens first during the Covid-19 outbreak has echoes in the 1940s and 50s

Foreign secretary says dramatic step necessary to fight spread of coronavirus

For some, workplaces are hotspots. For the over-65s, it’s shops and restaurants. We urgently need to change our behaviour

Coronavirus is a grave threat to the economy and the lives of millions – a new benefit payment for all affected workers should be just the start• See all our coronavirus coverageThe coronavirus pandemic has shown us all in just a few days how fragile our way of life really is. Basic certainties about our health, that of our loved ones and our normal way of life can no longer be taken for granted. Our sense of anxiety is real and understandable.In these new circumstances, the most important and hardest thing for government is to not cling to old certainties about the way things should be done, but to tear up the rulebook. That is what we have started to see in the last few days when it comes to public health measures. There is now a desperate urgency that this scale of action is matched by the government’s economic response. We are not there yet – not by a long way. Continue reading...

There is no one right way to curb a pandemic. But now research has shown ‘mitigation’ is riskier than tougher measures• See all our coronavirus coverageHow can you chart the right course through a turbulent and dangerous new sea with no reliable map or GPS? We are all part of the living experiment that is about to find out. After failing to mandate widespread social distancing last week, an approach that went against the grain of the rest of the world and advice from the World Health Organization, the UK government has now started to ease these restrictions in. It is not clear if this was part of the plan of escalation all along, or rather a U-turn precipitated by robust criticism.Related: New data, new policy: why UK's coronavirus strategy changed Continue reading...

This pandemic will open up sinkholes in society – volunteers may have to help out in services from deliveries to education• See all our coronavirus coverageNous sommes en guerre: we are at war. With those words, President Macron put France on notice yesterday that everything had changed, promising hundreds of billions of euros to ensure that no business would go bust because of the virus.Yet here in Britain, where the government has only just realised that its strategy of keeping calm and carrying on is no longer sustainable, we’re scrabbling to catch up. Boris Johnson raised more questions than answers with Monday’s instructions to start social distancing with a vengeance: how are all those people whose jobs effectively vanished overnight, when the nation was told to avoid pubs and clubs and restaurants and theatres, supposed to live? What about the next wave of businesses that will be hit – in manufacturing as factories start shutting down, in shops and services that sell anything that people don’t actively need in order to stay at home? The hospitality trade is already warning it will be wiped out without state assistance (ministers didn’t actually order them to close, merely telling their customers to stay away, therefore many won’t be able to claim on insurance). We don’t even have answers yet on how people working freelance or in the gig economy are supposed to cope, and already the crisis is moving on to those in supposedly secure jobs. Continue reading...

Some people face a stark choice during the coronavirus outbreak – go out to work or don’t get paid

Until New York shut down, I didn’t appreciate how privileged I was. Now, I am trying to fight my anxiety by making the most of mundane moments

Major chains including Odeon, Cineworld and Picturehouse to go dark• Coronavirus and culture – a list of major cancellationsHuge numbers of cinemas across the UK and Ireland are shutting down due to the coronavirus.Major chains, including Odeon, Cineworld and Picturehouse, as well as BFI Southbank, the screening complex operated by the British Film Institute, have announced they are closing their doors with largely immediate effect. Continue reading...

Human trials will begin in April – but even if they go well, there are many barriers before global immunisation is feasible

What are the symptoms caused by the virus from Wuhan in China, how does it spread, and should you call a doctor?

Definitive answer not yet known, but experts say reinfection seems unlikely

With a shift to online teaching as some institutions cancel lectures, there are fears that disadvantaged students may be missing outUK universities are racing to ensure that the coronavirus does not prevent final-year students from completing their degrees. But experts say a sudden shift to online learning is a “huge challenge” for both institutions and students.All universities have been treating the coronavirus as a major emergency for some weeks. Last week the London School of Economics, University College London, Durham University, Manchester Metropolitan and Loughborough became the first to close down class teaching and move online. Continue reading...

Whether you’re a catastrophist or a conspiracy theorist, everyone has their own way of coping with the pandemic. But what we really need is solidarity and honesty

A survey found that 37% of teachers said they did not have hot water and soap available for pupilsGlobal crises often bring surprises for schools. The first world war flagged up the high number of young soldiers who couldn’t read or write. In the second world war, middle-class country families despaired when evacuated children showed up malnourished and riven with lice. In the aftermath of both, politicians determined to make life better: focusing schools more on literacy and introducing daily milk and school nurses.Pandemics, like wars, temporarily change our way of life. Change happens fast. Schools may even have closed by the time you read this. This will be difficult, and if it’s for a long time and in isolation there are real concerns about safeguarding and loss of learning, but let’s not forget schools shut for a six-week period each year and families do cope. What is of long-term concern is what happens even when schools are open. Continue reading...

Our stripped-down NHS will not be able to cope when Covid-19 peaks, leaving it to officials to decide who lives and who dies

Hannah Devlin speaks to Prof Paul Hunter about fatality rates; why different figures are being quoted across the media; how the rates are calculated; and is the fatality rate the only useful number to look at? Continue reading...

WHO urges governments to ‘test, test, test’; US measures ramped up; Germany closes shops. This blog is closed

‘No edicts, please, we’re British,’ is the message as Boris Johnson tries to convince in newly serious role

Universal films including The Hunt will shift to on-demand this week as chains shutter to prevent spread of coronavirus

The prime minister has given people clear instructions to avoid each other. But big questions about the strategy and its impact remain unansweredThe new week that is now under way will be like no other. Europe is officially the centre of the global coronavirus pandemic. Last weekend saw the imposition of drastic new measures by governments across the continent, with schools, museums, businesses and national borders closed. Gatherings, including major sporting fixtures, have been cancelled and states of emergency declared. In the UK, local elections that were due to take place in May have been postponed. In Italy it was announced that 368 people had died in 24 hours – the worst single-day death toll for any country including China, where the Covid-19 outbreak began in November. Markets around the world have fallen sharply, with the FTSE 100 closing on Monday at an eight-year low.Boris Johnson’s late afternoon press conference on Monday, and the promise of daily televised briefings, went some way to calm justified fears about his government’s approach to the coronavirus crisis. In a dramatic ratcheting up of official guidance, described by the prime minister as “very draconian”, entire households are now asked to quarantine themselves for 14 days if any member has either of the two key symptoms of a high temperature or continuous cough. Everyone should minimise non-essential contact, work from home if possible and avoid unnecessary travel. Vulnerable groups, including over-70s and pregnant women, should stay indoors for 12 weeks. Continue reading...

Latest details of the spread of Covid-19 in the UK capital, the government’s response, and its impact on families and businesses

Human trial of vaccine created by Moderna and the National Institutes of Health to begin in Seattle

The president’s shameless bid highlights the need for a drugs industry that prioritises the public interest over profit

The Guardian’s Science Weekly podcast is exploring the knowns and unknowns of the coronavirus outbreak with scientists at the frontlineAs the coronavirus outbreak continues to unfold, many of us have been left with burning questions. To address some of these, hosts Ian Sample, Hannah Devlin, and Nicola Davis, as well as health editor Sarah Boseley, will take turns in bringing a question - some sent in by you – to experts on the frontline.We will explore exactly what we do and don’t know yet, but also will highlight encouraging work that is being carried out by scientists around the world. Continue reading...

Covid-19 cases are doubling every three days in France and the capital is preparing for the worst

Comments come after French authorities say such drugs could aggravate condition

After a weekend in which Matt Hancock distanced himself from ‘herd immunity’, public confidence urgently needs to be restored

If people really need to stay home, they can do for months. The government’s approach to coronavirus is one big gamble

Releases are being cancelled, shoots scrapped and ticket sales are in free fall. But what’s the human cost? We want to hear from people on the frontline of the industryIt’s becoming increasingly clear that most sectors have not faced a crisis in modern times remotely on the scale of coronavirus. The threat it poses to most businesses, the people employed by them and the economies propped up by them, it hard to underestimate.Film is no exception. Already, the impact of widespread cinema closures around the globe, combined with endless release and event postponements or cancellations, as well as production mayhem, is estimated to cost the industry more than $20bn. Given that this figure was $5bn a week before, it seems safe to assume it’s at the conservative end. Continue reading...

Box-office revenue in North America falls to its lowest level in two decades as cinemas adopt social distancing measures•Coronavirus and culture – a list of major cancellationsCinema attendance in the US and around the world slumped dramatically last weekend, as the effects of the coronavirus outbreak began to bite.In North America, box-office revenue dropped to its lowest level in two decades as audiences began to stay away. Variety reported that the total amount for Friday to Sunday in the US and Canada was about $55.3m, the worst result since September 2000, and a 45% drop from the weekend before. The top-performing film, Pixar’s Onward, recorded a fall of 73.1% for a total of $10.53m. Box-office declines are typical for wide-release films, but, for comparison, Pixar’s last original scripted animation, Coco, dropped by 45.8% at the same point in its run in 2017. Continue reading...

Darrell Blackley’s family ask for acts of kindness in his memory amid rise in ‘mutual aid’ volunteer groupsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe family of a talented 88-year-old church choir singer who died after catching coronavirus have appealed for acts of kindness to be carried out in his memory.Darrell Blackley, who died on Friday evening at a Manchester hospital, is thought to have been infected following contact at a restaurant with someone who had recently returned from a skiing trip to Italy. Continue reading...

I’m an NHS consultant and I take heart from the calmness and courage my staff are showing, despite the creeping fear

Further measures to limit spread may emerge after Cobra meeting, says transport secretary

Latest figures from public health authorities on the spread of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom. Find out how many confirmed cases have been reported near you. Please note: these are government figures on numbers of confirmed cases - some people who report symptoms are not being tested, and are not included in these counts.

MPs and ministers criticise display of ‘self-interest’ and accuse US president of electioneering

Factory production plummets at the fastest pace seen in three decades, as first-quarter figures emerge

Exclusive: Medical body points to ‘very variable stocking’ of the critical reagent across different states and territoriesDoctors are warning that Australia’s failure to stockpile a commonly-used chemical reagent needed for coronavirus testing is contributing to shortages in the midst of the current pandemic.The Australian Medical Association has warned a common reagent that is critical in the testing of coronavirus is facing supply issues because of the huge demand on Australian laboratories due to Covid-19. Continue reading...

To question Boris Johnson’s coronavirus plan is not ‘politicisation’; with lives at stake, it’s right to ask for evidence

New advice from CDC comes as some states close schools and restaurants and Donald Trump says: ‘Relax, we’re doing great’

Peak Indigenous body calls for urgent response to protect at-risk communitiesAustralia’s peak Aboriginal health group, representing hundreds of health care services, wants state and territory governments to make urgent arrangements to protect Aboriginal people in remote areas who are highly vulnerable to Covid-19.The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (Naccho) said governments should consider deploying the army in remote areas, where health workers face major challenges in containing any outbreak, including a lack of access to equipment, testing and urgent emergency care. Continue reading...

Early risers in the northern hemisphere can see the crescent moon in the south-east in close conjunction with Mars, Jupiter and SaturnA nice grouping of three planets will grace the pre-dawn sky this week. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will all rise in the south-east about an hour before the sun. The chart shows the view looking in that direction at 05:15 GMT on 18 March. On that morning, the planets will be joined by a waning crescent moon. Just 32% of the moon’s near-side will be illuminated at that time. If you can find a horizon low enough, the planets will be unmistakeable, partly because they are clustered together and partly because there are no bright stars close to them. The only conspicuous stars in that broad region of the sky will be Altair in Aquila, the Eagle, and Antares in Scorpius, the scorpion. Observers in the southern hemisphere have a much easier time for seeing this conjunction. By the early hours of the morning, the planets will be nicely placed in the eastern sky. They will be easily visible in complete darkness. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Public Health England document seen by Guardian says four in five ‘expected’ to contract virus

Britain’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak carries a risk to the public and to politicians. Time to get a gripBoris Johnson’s decision to go it alone, in global policy terms, over the UK’s Covid-19 outbreak is being challenged every day – and there is a sense of foreboding that the government is coming up short with its answers. Unlike our nearest neighbours, ministers said there would be no imminent ban on mass events because such a prohibition would do no good. On Friday night it was announced that there would be such a proscription. The government then had to make a U-turn this weekend over its message that the UK is pursuing a policy of “herd immunity”. It was troubling – and reflects badly on ministers – that an epidemiological outcome of mass infection was confused with the dubious policy aim of building resistance in the population.The muddled thinking at the heart of government will not engender public confidence. The spectre of mass deaths and possible chaos in an under-funded NHS hangs over ministerial indecision. This is the worst public health crisis for a generation and the government must respond to a level of scrutiny of its policies that some ministers have been, perhaps, unaccustomed to. This is especially true of senior figures who had got used to dismissing criticism as unpatriotic. The buck stops in Downing Street and the prime minister must take a lead. Britain has some simple lessons to learn if it is to avoid fatalities. It should follow some basic principles of transparency in keeping the public informed. Publishing the appropriately anonymised scientific advice and data sets that inform government decisions must be a priority. Continue reading...

Doctors and scientists urge government to stop ignoring strategies from countries that have brought cases down

Restrictions on travel and commerce across continent as countries scramble to contain threat

Covid-19 essential guide: can it be caught on public transport, how is it different from the flu, and how sick will I get?

German government tries to fight off aggressive takeover bid by US, say reports

Vulnerable people should not be exposed to Covid-19 right now in the service of a hypothetical future