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Social distancing on board airplanes “is not sustainable” and would “penalize Italy and aggravate the crisis,” according to the Italian airport operators’ association, Assaeroporti.
Italy’s Transport Ministry mandates a distance of one meter (approximately 3.3 feet) between individuals on public transport, inside stations, airports, ports and in all places where passengers transit or stop.
Assaeroporti said Italian airport sector was facing an “unprecedented crisis” and that the number of passengers decreased by 85% in March compared to last year.
The group said it was “the worst drop ever.”
Matt Hancock, the UK’s Health Secretary, proudly announced on Friday that the country had hit an ambitious coronavirus testing target that it had set itself at the beginning of the month.
On April 2, after weeks of criticism that the UK was lagging behind its European counterparts like Germany on testing, Hancock told the nation that he was “setting the goal of 100,000 tests per day, by the end of this month. That is the goal and I am determined that we will get there.”
Today, Hancock said from that same podium that the UK had beaten that goal by more than 22,000.
Striking an upbeat tone, Hancock said: “I knew it was an audacious goal, but we needed an audacious goal.” Critics might point out that the goal wasn’t the only thing to come out of Hancock’s mouth that could be called audacious. In the numbers counted, thousands of tests have been sent out to members of the public, but not necessarily returned.
Jonathon Ashworth, the opposition Labour party’s shadow health secretary, has already issued a statement, accusing the government of fiddling the numbers. “Increasing testing is an important milestone. But many would have expected the 100,000 promise to have been met by actually carrying out testing, not simply because 39,000 kits had been mailed out.”
The issue of testing didn’t need to become so political.
When the UK gave in to pressure to reverse its March 12 decisions to abandon mass community testing on April 2, it didn’t need to set itself a specific target or a specific deadline. Indeed, it seems very unlikely that any scientific or medical advice would have produced a round number like 100,000 or a neat date such as the end of a month. These promises were based on political choices made by the government and it is entirely reasonable that critics expected the target to be met.
It is, however, also reasonable for critics to point out that the date and the number of tests carried out is entirely arbitrary and what really matters is a coherent purpose for those tests being carried out — such as rolling out a contact tracing program.
So, while the UK government can be proud of its extraordinary expansion of testing in such a short period of time — and no one can deny that more testing is undeniably a positive thing — it’s reasonable that critics would find any backslapping for simply keeping its own promise somewhat unedifying.
The UK transmission rate has fallen below one — which means that the number of new infections in the community is falling, National Medical Director of NHS England Stephen Powis said on Friday.
He added that the number of people in hospitals with coronavirus has been falling since mid-April, and that the number of people in critical care beds was also declining.
A word of caution: In his first remarks after returning to work Monday, UK Prime minister Boris Johnson warned that the country was at “the moment of maximum risk” and suggested restrictions would need to remain in place for the time being in to avoid a second peak of infection.
The UK’s lockdown measures are due to be reviewed again by May 7.
UK has met its target to test 100,000 people a day for coronavirus by the end of April, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said during the daily Downing Street briefing on Friday.
The number of tests done on the last day of April was 122,347, Hancock said.
The total number of coronavirus infections in the UK has reached 177,454 cases, an increase of 6,201 from the day before, Hancock said. At least 27,510 people have died from the virus in the UK.
The Health Secretary added that now that the UK is past the peak of infections, the National Health Service has begun restoring services it halted in order to dealt with the coronavirus pandemic.
The World Health Organization said it still considers the coronavirus pandemic a public health emergency of international concern, WHO’s highest level of alarm for the world.
Houssin added that there is still much to learn about the transmission of the coronavirus.Currently, there is no vaccine nor licensed therapeutics for the treatment of Covid-19.
Assessing the response: On Thursday, WHO reconvened the committee of independent international experts to assess the state of the coronavirus pandemic and review WHO’s recommendations on how to respond.
Officials said the committee would meet again in 90 days, or sooner, if needed.
Additionally, earlier today, WHO confirmed to CNN that it has not been involved in China’s investigations of the origins of the novel coronavirus — but it “would be keen” to participate in such studies.
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The Indian government has extended its nationwide lockdown by two more weeks until May 17, but has issued exemptions for certain areas and activities, according to Ministry of Home Affairs. The current measures were set to expire on May 3.
Most travel by air, rail, metro and inter-state movement by road will continue to be prohibited and all schools and colleges will remain closed along with theaters, malls and places of worship.
The Ministry of Home Affairs will allow movement of people by air, rail and road only for select purposes. Over the last few days, the government has arranged for transportation for stranded migrant workers, students and tourists to travel back to their homes.
The government has eased most restrictions in areas the government calls “green zones,” which have not reported new cases of Covid-19 in the previous 3 weeks.
The classification of certain districts into red or orange zones will be evaluated every week. In orange zones, limited movement of individuals and vehicles will be allowed. In red zones, where most activities have been restricted for the past six weeks, will continue to be so.
Across all zones, industrial activities involved in the manufacturing of essential goods — such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, construction activities, standalone shops and agricultural activities — are permitted. In red zones, e-commerce firms can continue supply of only essential goods.
The order also prohibits movement of individuals for non-essential services from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. local time during the duration of the lockdown. Local authorities have been asked to issue bans on gatherings of more than four people.
McDonald’s will reopen 15 of its restaurants in the UK on May 13 in a limited capacity and with delivery only, McDonald’s UK and Ireland CEO Paul Pomroy said today.
The company plans to introduce new measures to keep its staff safe. Clear screens and floor markings will be introduced in specific areas, and additional protective equipment, including non-medical grade face masks, will be provided. Contactless thermometers will be used on arrival at work for every shift.
McDonald’s will also be introducing social distancing measures for all of its delivery and service partners.
“We will increase how often these procedures are completed and provide all employees with updated training on restaurant cleanliness and sanitization. All restaurants will be deep cleaned before reopening,” said Pomroy.
McDonald’s plans to return with fewer staff and a limited menu.
Special trains are being organized by the Indian government to ferry stranded migrants, students, tourists and pilgrims across India.
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced in an order today that the Railway Ministry will begin running special trains and ensure safe movement of people.
Some background: The Indian government had suspended all passenger trains in India in March as the country headed to a nationwide lockdown. In the past two weeks, certain restrictions have been eased. Various states have also arranged buses to transport their residents back home.
The cost of a three-course meal at Bord For En (Table For One), a pop-up restaurant in Sweden opening May 10, is left to the diner’s discretion.
And that is diner, singular, just like the restaurant’s name suggests.
Rasmus Persson and Linda Karlsson are responsible for the unique concept. Located in Värmland, roughly 350 kilometers (217 miles) from Stockholm, the restaurant – a single table and chair – is situated in a lush meadow.
The promise and premise is no interaction with others. This is an individual experience meant to be enjoyed in isolation.
There’s no waitstaff and nary another guest in site. Throughout its limited run (it will be open through August 1), one person a day will be served so Persson and Karlsson can give their full focus to the guest.
The couple is not trying to turn tables and won’t allow spectators.
Persson and Karlsson devised the Table for One concept several weeks ago when Karlsson’s parents showed up at the couple’s home as Covid-19 spread around the globe.
They decided rather than let Karlsson’s at-risk parents inside the house, it would be prudent to set up a table for them outside in the garden a safe distance away.
Karlsson notes Sweden has issued recommendations, not flat-out restrictions, around social distancing practices.
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With much of the globe now under coronavirus-related restrictions, we have never been so tethered to our screens – for work, to connect with friends, to unwind or to distract ourselves.
One new estimate suggested that adults are spending more than 13 hours a day using screens, up from 10 hours a day a year ago.
With children cut off from physically attending school, they are more reliant on laptops and tablets for online lessons and entertainment.
And with our new routines likely to have a lot more screen time for the foreseeable future, experts say it’s important to learn how to protect our eyes from suffering as a result.
While there is no evidence of long-term eye damage from extended use of smartphones, computer screens or other devices, prolonged use can lead to blurred vision, eye fatigue, dry or irritated eyes and headaches, according to Moorfield Eye Hospital in London.
Dr. Raj Maturi, the clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a retina specialist, called these symptoms “digital vision syndrome.”
He, along with the doctors at the Moorfield Eye Hospital, recommended a 20-20-20 approach – for every 20 minutes spent at a screen you must take a break and look 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.
Dr Maturi said that looking at bright devices can also make us blink less, which leaves our eyes feeling dry.
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A federal judge ordered ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to release detainees from three South Florida detention centers, saying it is a “cruel and unusual punishment” and a violation of the detainees’ rights to be kept in facilities that don’t practice social distancing and don’t provide them with masks or cleaning supplies.
Immigration rights groups had filed a lawsuit on behalf of 34 detainees seeking release during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the court order, ICE has seven days to determine who can be released given their health and immigration status, along with their criminal history.
The facilities concerned are the Krome Detention Center in Miami, the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, and the Glades County Detention Center in Moore Haven.
According to the order, these are civil detainees, not criminals.
She added that social distancing at Krome “is not only practically impossible, the conditions are becoming worse every day” and at Glades the bunk beds are 12 inches apart.
The judge found that ICE had violated the guidelines set out by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The judge ordered ICE to immediately comply with the CDC’s and their own internal guidelines on providing adequate soap and water and cleaning materials to detainees.
ICE will also have to provide a report to the court within three days outlining how it will reduce the population of detainees to 75% of capacity at each of the detention centers within two weeks. ICE is also ordered to file weekly reports providing information about the number of detainees released and their health.
CNN has reached out to ICE and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dexter Lee who is representing ICE in the case, according to the court docket.
ICE had argued in the case that the court did not have jurisdiction over the everyday management of the detention facilities.
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 3.2 million people and killed at least 233,000 worldwide. If you’re just joining us now, here are the latest developments.
Spain’s public deficit will balloon to about $126 billion this year, or 10.3% of GDP, more than triple last year’s deficit, the government announced Friday.
The public deficit, as a percent of gross domestic product, impacts Spain’s capacity to get financing.
The International Monetary Fund predicts Spain’s economy will shrink by 8% in 2020, before recovering and growing 4.3% in 2021.
The numbers are part of Spain’s updated outlook for 2020 submitted to the European Commission.
Spain’s jobless rate is expected to increase to 19% by the end of this year, up from 14% now, the government said.
Spain has the world’s second-highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases after the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University, and its state of emergency home confinement order is in its 7th week. The rate of infections has now slowed.
IAG, the owner of British Airways, said Friday that two other airlines in the company, Spain’s Iberia and Vueling, have received $1.1 billion in Spanish state-backed loans, according to a news release sent to CNN.
Spain’s tourism sector has been the most affected by the restrictions, said Economy Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Nadia Calviño at the news conference.
Tourism accounts for 12.3% of Spain’s GDP and 2.6 million jobs, or 12.7% of total unemployment, according to Tourism Ministry figures. The industry is at a standstill due to coronavirus.
Across New York, Chinese restaurants have shut down and Asian American workers have filed for unemployment benefits at extraordinary rates. In the state, about 147,000 self-identified Asian workers have filed initial unemployment claims in the last four weeks alone, up from just 2,100 during the same period last year.
That’s a 6,900% increase — by far the largest percentage increase experienced by any one racial or ethnic group.
In contrast, claims were up 1,840% for white workers, 1,260% for black workers, and 2,100% for Hispanic and Latino workers in New York.
New York stands out from other states in that in early April, it started releasing detailed demographic breakdowns of unemployment claimants every week. Not surprisingly, claims are skyrocketing for every group in the state, reflecting the sharp economic downturn that nationwide has left 30 million Americans filing first-time unemployment claims since mid-March.
But even so, the increase for Asian Americans is an oddity: It’s so large, it’s disproportionate to the size of their labor force. Asian workers make up about 9% of New York state’s population and work force, but now account for 12.5% of initial claims over the last four weeks. A year ago, they made up just 3.7% of claims during the same time period.
For the other groups, claims are either roughly in line — or well below — the size of their populations. White workers, for example, make up 65% of New York’s labor force, but only 51% of recent claims.
What’s the cause? Academics and members of the community point to several potential factors ranging from xenophobia to Asian Americans working in industries hard hit by the pandemic, including food and services. Many Asian workers also say they began social distancing earlier in the crisis than others — a factor that led some to close down businesses even before official lockdowns.
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Lufthansa plans to reduce its fleet by around 100 aircraft, leaving the German airline with 10,000 excess staff, its chief executive told shareholders on Friday.
Carsten Spohr said that preliminary figures for the first quarter showed a loss of 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) and warned that the second quarter will be even worse.
700 of Lufthansa’s roughly 760 aircraft are grounded. The airline, one of the largest in Europe, has had to cancel 3,000 flights a day and is experiencing a 99% decline in passengers, with 80,000 of its staff on reduced working hours.
Lufthansa is in intensive bailout talks with the German government and is negotiating with the governments of Austria and Belgium for help for its subsidiaries Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines. Swiss International Air Lines is also part of the group.
Lufthansa’s CEO said it was preparing to spend this summer on the ground and can hope for a proper restart in the autumn at the earliest. “It is going to be a very slow start-up phase and we expect that global demand will only find its new balance in 2023,” he added.
A new collaboration has been announced in the world’s quest for a potential vaccine against the novel coronavirus.
Biotechnology company Moderna and Switzerland-based Lonza Ltd. said on Friday that they were agreeing to a 10-year collaboration to manufacture a potential Covid-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273.
Moderna’s Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel said in a news release on Friday that the collaboration would enable the firm to accelerate its manufacturing capacity for mRNA-1273 and other products by a factor of 10.
The release noted that under the terms of the agreement, the companies plan to establish manufacturing suites at Lonza’s facilities in the United States and Switzerland for the manufacture of the potential vaccine.
In April, Moderna submitted an Investigational New Drug application to the US Food and Drug Administration for Phase 2 and late-stage studies of mRNA-1273 and the company expects to begin the study in the second quarter of 2020, according to its news release.
Moderna isn’t the only company with a potential Covid-19 vaccine in the works. The pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is collaborating with the biotechnology company BioNTech to develop a vaccine, which the companies announced on Wednesday could be widely supplied by the end of the year.
Last week, scientists at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute announced they would begin testing a vaccine on humans which, depending on the trial results, could be ready as early as September.
Officials say that more than a half-dozen vaccine programs are in the clinical trial phase and more than 80 are in preliminary phases.
Drugs dealers are disguising themselves as food delivery drivers to continue dealing drugs, Interpol warns.
Police in the UK, Ireland, Malaysia and Spain have reported instances of drug couriers posing as food delivery workers, while carrying illicit drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, ketamine and ecstasy, according to the international police organization.
In April, police in Spain arrested seven men dressed as food delivery drivers delivering cocaine and marijuana by bicycle, motorcycle and car. The drugs were concealed in the false bottom of a food delivery backpack, the Interpol report said.
In another case in Ireland, officers recovered 8 kilograms (17 ponds) of cocaine as well as two handguns hidden in pizza boxes.
“Legitimate food delivery drivers have also been used as unwitting drug mules,” said the organization, which coordinates data from 194 international police forces.
“Criminals continue to adapt their activities to a world upended by Covid-19,” said Stephen Kavanagh, Interpol’s Executive Director of Police Services.
The British aviation industry is about to experience a “tsunami of job losses” linked to the coronavirus pandemic, said the General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association, Brian Strutton.
Ryanair on Friday announced plans to cut up to 3,000 jobs as it seeks to slash costs.
He was critical of the lack of support provided by the UK government.
“The US government has given 25 billion to US airlines. European governments are supporting their airlines. Why isn’t the British government doing the same?”
The UK Department for Transport has previously said that airlines can draw upon an “unprecedented package of measures” including schemes to raise capital and financial support for employees.
Earlier this week, British Airways announced plans to cut up to 12,000 jobs.
