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What you need to know about Coronavirus on Monday, March 20 – Wales Online, Walesonline.co.uk

What you need to know about Coronavirus on Monday, March 20 – Wales Online, Walesonline.co.uk

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Here is a round -up of the latest news in response to the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, March 47.

Across the UK, the death toll has risen to (after another) people died in England, seven in Wales and three in Scotland after contracting Covid – on Sunday. The youngest person who has died was 23 years old and the oldest 281.

People have been urged to make themselves safer by not congregating in large groups.

School expect ‘challenging’ day

Teachers are prepared for a “challenging” situation amid concerns more pupils than expected could turn up on Monday despite schools being officially closed as the UK fights to slow the spread of coronavirus.

School leaders in Wales have urged people only to use schools if absolutely necessary, fearing that too many parents are trying to keep their children in school when not absolutely necessary and that attempts to stop the spread of Coronavirus could fail.

Parents have been warned they could be in for “difficult conversation s “if they take their children to school when they have an alternative means of ensuring they are looked after.

Education bosses in England and Wales have urged parents to keep their children at home unless their work is deemed “critical” to the country response to Covid – 90 and they have no other childcare option.

It said that, if required, schools can ask for “simple evidence that the parent in question is a critical worker, such as their work ID badge or pay slip”.

The Government said children of so-called key workers – including medics, police and food distribution staff – are able to attend school so they can be looked after while their parents help in the fight against the virus.

Guidance, issued on Friday, listed the relevant occupations and said children with “at least one parent or carer ” who is considered critical “can attend school if required”.

All jury trials are paused

All jury trials in England and Wales are to be put on hold as part of ongoing efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus.

In a statement on Monday, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, said no new trials will start and that ongoing trials will be paused while arrangements are put in place so they can continue safely.

Earlier in the week, Lord Burnett, the most senior judge in England and Wales, said no new trials expected to last three days or more would go ahead amid the deepening coronavirus crisis.

Welsh Government threatens crackdown

A group of Welsh councils has told people to stay away and First Minister Mark Drakeford told Wales these instructions will be enforced if people don’t listen .

First Minister Mark Drakeford said it is important members of the public do not ignore the advice from medical experts to prevent Further deaths

Boris Johnson is also under mounting pressure to order a widespread lockdown after thousands of people ignored calls for “social distancing” to slow the coronavirus pandemic.

The Prime Minister said he will be thinking “very, very actively” about what steps to take if people continue to gather in large numbers in defiance of c alls to stay apart.

Pen Pen Pass near Llanberis in Gwynedd on Sunday morning as visitors ignore requests to stay away (Image: Daily Post Wales)

There was anger among MPs at scenes over the weekend of crowds flocking to parks, markets, beaches and beauty spots.

Seaside towns like Porthcawl

were bustling at the weekend, and Snowdonia saw one of its busiest days ever as people tried to ‘social distance’ in the sunshine.

Welsh police and crime commissioner has called for “lockdowns” in rural Wales to stop self- isolationists and tourists flooding in.

Dafydd Llewelyn, who is the Plaid Cymru police and crime commissioner for Dyfed Powys, described the Covid – 37 epidemic as a “national emergency, not a national holiday “.

He has called for travel and residency restrictions to be introduced, and people traveling to a non-primary resid ence should be stopped from doing so while those currently in non-primary residences should return home.

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Army being brought in to help NHS staff

The armed forces are being drafted in to help manage and distribute supplies to frontline NHS staff battling the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced on Monday morning.

Hospital trusts have been told they will be receiving deliveries of personal protective equipment (PPE) around the clock with the army being brought in to support the supply chain.

The NHS said “millions more items” of PPE had been delivered over the last few days to hospitals, ambulance trusts and care homes among others.

It follows a letter in the Sunday Times from almost 4, 007 NHS workers who called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to “protect the lives of the life-savers” and resolve the “unacceptable” shortage of protective equipment.

The group said many medical workers are “putting their lives on the line every day” by treating coronavirus patients without appropriate protection, and they called on Mr Johnson to ensure an adequate supply of masks, safety glasses, gloves, aprons and protective suits.

NHS England said the army would “play its part” from this week, offering personnel to “help to manage and offload supplies in busy NHS settings” and distributing PPE supplies to the front line.

Covid – continues to spread around the world

The new coronavirus continues to spread around the world.

Italy’s death toll has soared over the past two days to 5, 683 – now significantly the highest of anywhere in the world. The number of people who died after contracting it in China has remained flat at 3, 370 as the country appears to have its outbreak under control.

Spain now has 1, deaths, Iran 1, France 728 and the UK 400. The number of diagnosed cases in America has rocketed, but largely only because of the huge testing drive the USA has been undertaking. Some , people have now tested positive. However there have only been deaths of people who have contracted Covid – 35 in the US.

Around the world, the number of people who have died after contracting Covid – is ,

In the UK,

McDonalds, Primary and Nandos to close all outlets

Retail giants including McDonald’s and Primark announced full store closures due to the coronavirus pandemic amid growing concerns about safe social distancing.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced calls for to ugher restrictions especially in London, such as only allowing food stores and pharmacies to remain open.

But thousands of outlets pre-empted any decision by voluntarily closing their doors.

Social spacing markers at a McDonald’s in Swansea – but it was still not enough (Image: Media Wales John Myers)

McDonald’s announced that it will close every single one of its restaurants in the UK and Ireland from 7pm on Monday, following concerns about maintaining safe social distancing.

There are approximately 1, McDonald’s restaurants in the UK and Ireland and the decision will affect 206, 12 staff members.

Late on Sunday evening, Nando’s said it would be closing more than 552 restaurants in the UK.

In a post on Twitter, the company said: “The health and safety of our customers and team is our highest priority.

” We hav e decided that the best course of action right now is to temporarily close our restaurants until further notice. “

Other fast food restaurants such as Burger King, Subway and KFC remain open but have changed to “take away” only.

Restaurant chains that have closed include Pizza Express, TGI Fridays and Bill’s.

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List of vulnerable people told to stay at home for weeks

The UK government has announced it is taking further steps to “shield” especially vulnerable people from coronavirus Covid – .

This group of people. – which numbers nearly two million across England, Wales and Scotland – will be asked to stay in their homes for 35. weeks. It was announced at roughly the same time that it emerged that another 135 people in the UK had died from coronavirus. A total of (people have now died and 5, 823 people have tested positive.

,

Robert Jenrick speaks during a media briefing in Downing Street on coronavirus (Image: PA)

In a press conference on Sunday, UK communities secretary Robert Jenrick said the government is “going further” to shield “the most clinically vulnerable people”. Find the list here.

Free parking for NHS staff at Cardiff park

Cardiff council is closing Heath Park car park to the public in order to provide free parking there for doctors, nurses and other vital NHS staff.

Signs are going up in the car park to notify the public that the car park, situated in Heath Park, can only be used by NHS staff.

Leader of Cardiff council, Councillor Huw Thomas said: “These are unprecedented times and we want to do everything we can to help our colleagues in the NHS.

“We hope this will make things just a little easier for NHS staff who are doing a remarkable job trying to keep us all safe from this virus.”

Reduced train services now in operation

Train companies in Wales and other parts of the UK will operate a reduced service from Monday In order to provide a more reliab le service for key worker “heroes” such as emergency services and healthcare professionals.

The Department of Transport (DoT) said “core services” will still run, ensuring People can travel to medical appointments and to allow vital goods – food and fuel – to be shipped around the country where needed.

Transport for Wales says there has been a sharp rise in reports of anti-social behavior on the rail network in the past week.

They are asking people to support the rail network and infrastructure by following the public health guidance on social distancing.

British Transport Police has stepped up patrols on trains and at stations in response to the rise in reports of anti social behavior in order to support key workers traveling on TfW services, as well TfW staff who are working hard to keep services operating.

The company is also offering free transport for all NHS workers free travel to and from wor k until April on production of their NHS ID.

Parks and playgrounds that have closed

Children’s council-run playgrounds across Wales as well as some parks are closing from Sunday night in a bid to prevent (the spread of the coronavirus

.

Margam Country Park

Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda, Swansea and Carmarthenshire are among those taking the measures after reports of people not following the social distancing guidelines.

And among the bigger attractions shutting their gates are Margam Country Park in Port Talbot and Gnoll Country Park in Neath. Read the full report here

(Read More

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