The government insists its ramping up testing for nhs workers amid confusion on the number carried out so far. Doctors leaders continue to warn the shortage of tests has caused Serious Problems for the health service. We do need this extended to all staff, and certainly, in general practice at the moment, were still waiting for testing. So ive got lots of doctors in contact with me every day, saying that they want to get back to work. And some of the other developments in the Coronavirus Crisis this lunchtime. Formula one developers join scientists to develop new breathing equipment which can help keep patients out of intensive care. I sincerely think it may actually save many lives by preventing patients from needing to go on to a ventilator, and, again, saving that vital resource for the very, very severely ill. Easyjet grounds all its planes, as the Aviation Industry struggles to cope with the effects of the pandemic in the us, President Trump extends restrictions on movement till the end of april as the number of cases there continues to rise sharply. And we look at how farms are coping, as they respond to the increase in demand from supermarkets in sport, Manchester United and England ForwardMarcus Rashford says he is edging ever closer to full fitness, having not played since january because of a back injury. Good afternoon and welcome
to the bbc news at one. The government has insisted it is ramping up its capacity to test health and social care workers for the coronavirus amid confusion over whether it has reached its target set for yesterday of 10,000 tests a day. Doctors leaders have warned the shortage of tests has caused Serious Problems for the health service. It comes as the Prime Minister announced 20,000 former nhs staff have returned to work, to help in the fight against the virus. A breathing aid that helps keep patients out of intensive care has been created in less than a week, by scientists working with the mercedes formula one team. One of europes biggest airlines, easyjet, is grounding its entire fleet because of the pandemic and theres a warning that the entire Airline Sector may need a government bailout. Across the uk there have now been 1,228 deaths. But an expert adviser to the government has said the rate of Coronavirus Infections appears to be slowing, suggesting government restrictions
could be having an impact. Our first report is from our health correspondent, lauren moss. Test, test, test. That is the Global Health advice to track, tackle and get on top of the Coronavirus Crisis. And its what the uk government has promised to do. At the minute, Public Health england says capacity is at almost 11,000 a day. More than 40,000 tests were donein day. More than 40,000 tests were done in the past week, though, compared to germany, which is carrying out 500,000 tests a week. There are a handful of countries that have higher rates of testing and us, but we are amongst the highest testers in the world. As i said, the numbers are going up. And we recognise the importance of this. The importance of testing, the importance of the equipment. And also, i should say, the importance of having enough trained staff. 20,000 retired doctors and nurses have also answered the call to return, and final year medical
stu d e nts return, and final year medical students are being called up. Instead of spending their final few months before graduation in australia, harriet and elizabeth are working on a e at oxfordsjohn radcliffe hospital. When patients come in the front door, we will direct them to the department. And thatis direct them to the department. And that is really just direct them to the department. And that is reallyjust making sure that patients who might have covid 19 are not coming into contact with those that dont have any symptoms. What is it like for you both on a personal level . Sign we havejust been kind of thrown into doing it all. And we have all been handling it. And its great to use the skills that weve developed over the past six years. Getting Personal Protective Equipment out is still a top priority for both medical staff and those in social care settings, like this care home in dorset. We are doing personal care, we are talking to people that need us to be close because they cant hear. Testing for front line nhs staff with covid 19 symptoms also began
over the weekend. So, there was a self isolating as a precaution can get back to work. In spain, 12,000 Health Workers have had the virus. We do need this extended to all staff. Certainly in general practice at the moment, we are still waiting for testing. So i have lots of doctors contacting me every day, saying that they want to get back to work. This surgeon became one of the first front line doctors in the uk to die at the weekend, after contracting coronavirus in leicester. Doctors are calling for all medics to be eligible for full death in service if something happens to them during the outbreak. The Welsh Government has freed up £1 billion to spend on supporting businesses and public services. This fund will help businesses to survive the coronavirus challenge, so they are ready, when we come out on the other side of this, to go on providing jobs and futures here in wales. And this help is over and
above the support schemes already announced by the chancellor of the exchequer. There are nearly 20,000 cases of covid 19 in the uk. But today, the government advisor modelling them offered a glimmer of hope when he said hospital admissions are slowing down. But, we are warned, it will be many more months before we can even think of life getting back to normal. Lets speak to our correspondent, jon donnison, at the new Nightingale Hospital in east london. There are going to be thousands of beds for coronavirus patients there eventually. What sort of progress is being made . Well, look, there is a lot more activity behind me at the moment than there has been over the last few days. I think we are nearly there. Later this week, last few days. I think we are nearly there. Laterthis week, possibly last few days. I think we are nearly there. Later this week, possibly as 0011 there. Later this week, possibly as 50011 as there. Later this week, possibly as soon as wednesday, we think this facility is going to open. Initially with 500 beds, equipped with ventilators and oxygen, but
expanding to potentially 4000. There are similarfacilities expanding to potentially 4000. There are similar facilities being set up in birmingham, manchester, wales and also in scotland. Here, we have had the army inside helping out. In effect, they are building what amounts to an enormous hospital ward injusta amounts to an enormous hospital ward injust a matter of amounts to an enormous hospital ward in just a matter of days. So, amounts to an enormous hospital ward injust a matter of days. So, its pretty intensive work. Today, we had the news come through that several airlines have asked for their staff to volunteer to work in these new Nightingale Hospitals. Easyjet, who, of course, announced today that they we re of course, announced today that they were grounding all their planes, have written to some 9000 staff, including 4000 cabin crew, asking for them to volunteer. People with first aid for them to volunteer. People with firstaid training, for them to volunteer. People with first aid training, cpr, that sort of thing. Virgin atlantic have done the same. We understand they will get training. And it will be work involving may be changing bedding, that sort of thing, under the supervision of experienced doctors and nurses. As i say, we are
expecting here to open within the next few days. Many thanks, jon donnison. Lets talk to our assistant political editor, norman smith. The issue of testing of nhs workers to see if they have had the virus continues to be a really burning political issue. And there has been confusion over the numbers that have been tested . I think it is probably true to say, in any crisis you have to give clear, consistent information, otherwise people begin to doubt what they are being told. We have had, frankly, some confusion this morning over the amount of testing being done. 0ne government minister saying 7000 people have been tested on a day at the weekend, others say 10,000, the department saying 9000. The reason is this. Yes, there was the potential to carry out 10,000 tests, but only 7000 people were actually tested because some people, for clinical reasons, needed to be tested more
than once. That said, we are going to dramatically increase the level of testing if we want to get in a position where we can ease the lockdown, following the warnings at the weekend that it could potentially even go on for six months. Now, this morning, downing street is saying the Prime Minister is sticking by his assertion that he hopes to turn the corner within 12 weeks. That might be optimistic. But, in better news, important better news, professor niall ferguson, the man who has fronted up much of the science on coronavirus, this morning suggested the early signs are that the rate of infection could be beginning to slow since the lockdown. In other words, could be beginning to slow since the lockdown. In otherwords, not could be beginning to slow since the lockdown. In other words, not so many people are being admitted to hospital. This wont show up in the fatality figures, the number of deaths, because there is a two or three week lag between people being affected in becoming terminally ill, but it is a glimmer of hope that maybe the lockdown is beginning to work. 0k, norman, many thanks. Norman smith, our assistant political editor. Prince charles is out of self isolation, a week after it was announced he tested positive for coronavirus. Clarence house said the prince of wales is in good health, and is following government advice. His wife, the duchess of cornwall, tested negative for the virus but also spent the period in isolation. A breathing aid that can help keep coronavirus patients out of intensive care has been created in just a few days by engineers at University College london. Theyve been working with clinicians, and the mercedes formula one team, to develop the device, which delivers oxygen to the lungs without the need for a ventilator. If trials are successful, it could go into mass production , relieving the pressure on intensive care units. Fergus walsh reports. Its a small device that could make a big difference. Known as Continuous Positive Airway pressure, or cpap, it pushes oxygen into the lungs, keeping them open, making it easier to breathe. There are already used in the nhs,
but are in short supply, so a team modified and improved on existing design in less than a week, which has now been approved for use by health regulators. Normally, medical Device Development would take years. In this instance, weve been able to do it in days, because weve cleverly thought about how we can go back to existing devices and models, reverse engineer them and then engage with our Industry Partners to manufacture them at scale. This demonstration was done at University College london hospital, which is now using the device to treat covid 19 patients. I sincerely think it may actually save many lives by preventing patients from needing to go on to a ventilator, and, again, saving vital resource for the very, very severely ill. Every Second Counts in motor racing. Here, mercedes formula one partnered with doctors and health care engineers on a medical device that could be mass produced. This is a great example of how the nhs, universities and industry are working together, at extraordinary pace, to meet the challenge posed by coronavirus. If the trials of this device go well, then mercedes formula 1 says it can produce up to 1000 of these a day. In italy, around half of covid 19 patients given cpap have avoided the need for intensive care. And, unlike mechanical ventilators, there is no need for them to be sedated. Meanwhile, a consortium of companies, including airbus, bae systems, ford and rolls royce, have joined forces to produce much needed ventilators for the nhs. They received orders for more than 10,000 ventilators, and are ready to start production, pending regulatory approval. Fergus walsh, bbc news. The scottish Regional Airline loganair has said it will ask the government
for emergency financial support. The company has warned it will be impossible for most British Airlines to continue operating without a bailout. Easyjet announced this morning that it has grounded its entire fleet. 0ur transport correspondent tom burridge reports. Easyjet, the latest airline to park up its entire fleet of aircraft. It cant say when commercial flights will run again. Aviation has largely ground to a halt and airlines are fighting to survive. Then you have a situation where, if youre not flying properly during the summer, you are missing a very profitable part of the flying schedule and you would go into the winter where airlines typically are loss making in a position where you also have potentially much more debt than you expect to have. Easyjet will seek Government Support via existing schemes but not an additional bailout. Virgin atlantic is expected to apply for one of those in the coming days. And the uks largest regionalairline, loganair, which links Scottish Islands to regional airports, has confirmed it will, too. I think really the magnitude of what were dealing with as an industry here is so significant, i would be very, very surprised if any airline is able to get through this without request for support in some form or other. But cabin crew staff from easyjet and virgin atlantic, who have been temporarily laid off, can now volunteer to work in support roles at three temporary hospitals being set up here in london and in birmingham and manchester. The airlines will continue to pay staff who sign up and they will provide valuable support to the nhs. Tom burridge, bbc news. The travel industry is just one
of a number of sectors threatened by the pandemic, with other well known companies signalling they too are under great pressure. Simon gompertz is our personal finance correspondent. Who are we talking about . We are talking about brighthouse. The reason we are particularly worried is that it has just been confirmed they are going into administration. This is the terrible news that 2400 staff have been waiting for, and their 240 shops as well. Although people rely on them for things like washing machines and tvs, they have been widely criticised for their charges. They faced a price cap. They are losing money after that. They are losing money after that. They are losing money after that. They are facing mis selling claims from former customers, and the coronavirus and the blight that has brought to the high street has also
hit them. It has been confirmed they are going into administration. It is not entirely clear what customers, what will happen to them as a result, but we will wait to see what administrators have to say. President trump has said restrictions imposed because of coronavirus will be in place across the us until at least the end of april. He had previously said that he hoped to relax the measures at easter. The governments medical adviser, dr anthony fauci, has warned the virus could kill up to 200,000 americans. Paul adams reports. Cheering and applause. As this Global Pandemic spreads, waves of gratitude are quick to follow. Other cities have already thanked their Health Workers, but this is new york, a deafening chorus of appreciation echoing down the manhattans misty canyons. But there is disquiet, too. Nurses and doctors say they dont
have enough protective equipment, told to wear masks notjust for one patient but for up to five days. Its putting all of us in danger because we are reusing masks that should never be reused, we are running out of so many things, other protective equipment. With americas city streets increasingly deserted, the prospects of a swift return to normality are fading. Officials are now warning of as many as 200,000 american fatalities. If we can hold that down, as were saying, to 100,000, its a horrible number, maybe even less, but to 100,000, so we have between 100,000 and 200,000, we altogether have done a very good job. But with the virus and the lockdown comes mounting economic hardship. New yorks busy foodbanks now inundated with newcomers. People deprived in the blink of an eye of the ability to put food on their tables. In new orleans, before dawn, this emergency room doctor prepares for another long shift
in a nearby hospital. He says he is not used to seeing so many people not recovering. Instead, they have got worse while theyve been in the hospital and in fact, many of them have passed away already, in a way thats. Its not normal. A vast hospital ship is now moored off los angeles, helping to relieve the pressure on california. The mercy has 1,000 beds for non coronavirus patients. Americas most populous state is now bracing for difficulties. Lets speak to the cbs correspondent, david begnaud, in new york. We saw that some pictures of some of the difficulties that new yorkers are facing. New york has been
desperately hard hit, hasnt it . Are facing. New york has been desperately hard hit, hasnt mm is arguably the hardest hit area in the country and hospitals are doing everything they can to answer the call of the governor to do more. One hospital, mount sinai, is setting up tents in central park to treat people afflicted with the coronavirus. I am people afflicted with the coronavirus. Iam personally speaking with icy you nurses who say they do not have mosques they need for that one woman says she has been using the same mosque for the last four days. Mosques. The disconnect seems to be with what we are hearing from front line workers, the governor and the mayor. The president says supplies are arriving by the planeload, tonnes and tonnes and tonnes. Frontline workers are saying, regardless of what the president is saying, i had