Health & Wellbeing

Grief at any time is difficult and painful and even under normal circumstances the death of a colleague can be challenging and represent a significant loss.

The realities of Covid-19 means that there are additional challenges for people mourning the death of a colleague due to the lack of access to support from friends, family and colleagues.

The British Psychological Society’s Covid-19 bereavement task force has launched a new document, ‘Supporting each other following the death of a colleague’, to help people understand their feelings and reaction if they do lose a colleague during this time.

Professor Nichola Rooney, chair of the task force, said: “Sadly, many people have been bereaved during the Covid-19 pandemic, with some grieving the death of a colleague.

We spend a lot of time at work and often form close bonds with people we work with, so losing a colleague at a time when we may not have our usual support networks can be particularly difficult.”

The booklet gives advice on how to cope with returning to work following the death of a colleague and encourages employees to take advantage of the support that is available to them and allowing for the fact that work may be affected by the grieving process.

It encourages people to take the opportunity to consider marking the death through a memorial at either at work or at home, if that is someone’s current workplace, but also to plan for other remembrance activities in the future once the current crisis abates.

The guidance is part of a suite of resources produced by the BPS’s Covid-19 bereavement task force, aimed at helping people manage their grief during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Due to government advice on restricting the spread of Covid-19, the BPS communications team is currently working remotely. But we are monitoring our inbox as usual, so for more information or requests for comment, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The British Psychological Society is a registered charity which acts as the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK, and is responsible for the promotion of excellence and ethical practice in the science, education and application of the discipline. 

As a society we support and enhance the development and application of psychology for the greater public good, setting high standards for research, education, and knowledge; disseminating our knowledge to increase public awareness. 

We strive to:

be the learned society and professional body for the discipline
make psychology accessible to all 
promote and advance the discipline 
be the authoritative and public voice of psychology
determine and ensure the highest standards in all we do

As it marked World Bicycle Day on June 3, Cycling UK, the national cycling charity, is preparing for the launch of the UK’s Bike Week to celebrate the increasingly important role of cycling in the health of the nation.

Amid the restrictions placed on people’s lives due to the coronavirus pandemic, cycling has experienced a boom. Data from both England and Scotland have shown a doubling in the numbers of people getting on their bikes since the lockdown started, and governments and public health bodies are promoting cycling as a safe and healthy alternative to public transport and private vehicle use. To recognise the particular importance of cycling as a safe mode of transport for key workers, Cycling UK offered a three-month free membership to health and social care workers. By the end of the offer, 2,857 of these key workers across the country had signed up.

Pete Fitzboydon, interim chief executive of Cycling UK, said: “The reduction in vehicle traffic and increase in cycling during lockdown has allowed a glimpse of a different, more active future, and it would be a great shame to turn our backs on this and return to business as usual. Bike Week is a chance to share the fun and freedom that cycling offers, but this year the real focus is on the health benefits – not only for the individual but for society as a whole. We are encouraging everybody to get out on their bikes at least once during the week, spreading the message that even a short ride can make a big difference.”

In London, two-thirds of car journeys are less than 3.1 miles (5 kilometres): a distance that can easily be covered on a bike in 20 minutes. Across the UK as a whole, the average journey to school could also be made with a 20-minute bike ride. And while an average traffic lane can carry 2,000 cars per hour, it could carry 14,000 bicycles instead. At a time when people are beginning to return to workplaces and schools, choosing cycling will have an enormous impact on congestion and the associated economic and societal costs. Supporting the launch of Bike Week, the Cycling Minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, said: “Covid-19 has made us rethink how we work, shop, and travel – and we have seen so many people over the past couple of months discovering or re-discovering a love of cycling as they look for new ways to get around.

“Bike Week is a great opportunity for people to give cycling a go, and be inspired to choose an environmentally friendly form of travel with major health benefits – improving the quality of air that we breathe and helping people to get fit and stay healthy. I hope that after the crisis, cycling becomes the natural choice for many more on short journeys so that we can keep these benefits for the longer term.”

Mónica Reus Boccherini, A&E nurse at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, said: “I took up cycling towards the beginning of lockdown, as after a long shift in A&E I didn’t want to run the risk of passing on the virus to my fellow passengers on public transport. I’ve been riding regularly ever since then and love it. I’d encourage everyone to use the opportunity of Bike Week to pick up your dusty bike and give cycling a go!”

The restrictions on group events mean that this year’s Bike Week is taking place digitally, with a programme of webinars, online workshops, Q&As (including a discussion with Dragon’s Den star Piers Linney) and fun events. The overarching theme is Health and Wellbeing, with each day taking a different focus under the #7daysofcycling hashtag on social media. People are encouraged to share photos and videos of their cycling activities for a chance to win prizes.

Cycling UK’s annual bike celebration runs from 6 to 14 June, with online events themed around the health and wellbeing benefits of cycling.

With deaths caused by the coronavirus outbreak has now passed 400,000 worldwide, the on-going row between the USA and China over the global pandemic has flared up again with a senator in the United States accusing Beijing of trying to block the development of a vaccine in the West.

The Republican’s Senator, Rick Scott, said that evidence had come via “our intelligence community” but provided no details to back it up.

Meanwhile, China issued a document defending its virus actions, saying that it briefed the US as early as January 4.

Senator Scott, however, said: “We have got to get this vaccine done. Unfortunately we have evidence that communist China is trying to sabotage us or slow it down”.

A staunch President Trump supporter, he then added: “China has decided to be an adversary to America and democracies around the world”.

He said that “evidence” had come through the intelligence community and armed services and added: “There are things that I can’t discuss… I get provided information.

“England or the US does it first, we’re going to share”.

The Trump administration has consistently attacked China over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, whilst, meanwhile, being questioned for his handling of it at home.

In celebration of National Volunteers Week (1-7 June), Revitalise, usually known for creating respite holidays for disabled people and their carers for over 55 years, are sharing the experiences of some of their volunteer staff, as they work through unique circumstances to keep the charity’s three respite centres running through the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Revitalise’s Chief Operating Officer Jo Morgan said “We are so proud of our wonderful volunteers. Our guests usually tell us that volunteers are vital in making their stay at Revitalise extra special, and it is no different during the pandemic. Their roles have changed day to day, but they remain positive and committed, providing much-needed support to our guests during this critical time.”
 
Susana Elvira Cheppe Vidal is volunteering for the second time at the Revitalise Sandpipers centre in Merseyside, where she has been since November 2019 and intends to be there until August 2020.

She says of her experiences: “I chose to volunteer at Revitalise because I’d heard positive experiences from friends who had also volunteered there. Before the pandemic a typical day involved going on day trips out of the centre with guests, socialising, helping out during mealtimes or even just chatting and enjoying entertainment with them in the evening.
 
“I chose to stay at Revitalise during COVID-19 because the centre is a place that makes me feel safe and because I understand that during this time more than ever, disabled people need care and support because it may be difficult for them to access this at home.
 
“Some activities continue to be the same, such as helping guests during mealtimes, going out with them to get some fresh air, helping in the restaurant or bar, but the centre is not a holiday now. The environment is still pleasant, we enjoy activities like bingo, karaoke, pool, or artistic presentations by the guests themselves.
 
“Many people feel safe and cared for at Revitalise. The work of a volunteer is always important, because often you can be the hands for those who cannot feed themselves or at other times the company they need to not feel alone.”
 
18-year-old Camila Perez started volunteering at Revitalise Jubilee Lodge in March 2020. She chose Revitalise specifically to care for people with special needs as she wants to become a Doctor. She found the language barrier difficult at first but as she grew in confidence with English, she found she made new friends and really enjoyed her experience.
 
Camila describes a typical day before COVID-19 as ‘really fun and loud and always surrounded by people and talking to guests all the time.’ Once the pandemic started, the borders to her home country were closed, however Camila believes she “would keep volunteering to see a different perspective of how life is for disabled people. The centre has changed because I can sadly no longer interact with guests to the same extent, which is a huge part of the Revitalise experience and I miss the live entertainment in the evenings.” Camilla describes the best thing to come from volunteering to be the satisfaction of helping others.
 
Rocio del Pilar Coronel is a volunteer at Revitalise Jubilee Lodge who has been with Revitalise since Jun 2019. She says of her experience at Revitalise: “I enjoy volunteering at Revitalise as I like to help disabled people. I can share different experiences with other volunteers from different countries and improve my English. This experience has helped me grow more as a person and take risks in my life. For this, I am grateful.”
 
Rocio believes disabled people are facing new challenges due to COVID-19, such as  “stress, anxiety, depression, since they cannot go out and they can only talk to their relatives by video conference or calls, but I think that nothing will be like before.”
 
Some volunteers weren’t able to continue working at Revitalise centres and were forced to return home. Sally was a long term volunteer at Revitalise Jubilee Lodge, who had to cut her placement short and return to Germany when the pandemic struck. She describes how she felt when she realised she would not be able to carry on volunteering:
 
“I felt confused in the moment I found out I had to go back to Germany despite still having four months to stay at Revitalise. I felt like I was going to lose my second family and I couldn't even prepare myself for that moment. I didn't want to go home because Revitalise was my home.
 
“I miss all the amazing people from the staff and the guests, many of them have become good friends of mine. I miss all the little jokes over the days we had together.
“I really want to return to Revitalise once I am able to because this place has something magical. I didn't realise that when I was there but in the moment I went back to Germany I understood what a special place I just left. I would say the best thing about volunteering is that your own personality can grow through all the new experiences you make and you can learn so much about yourself. I have learned a lot as a volunteer but I would say the main thing is that I learned what I want in life.”
 
Revitalise are offering their facilities at Revitalise Sandpipers and Netley Waterside House in Southampton, as a place to stay safe either short or long term, for disabled people who have struggled during lockdown with mental health, anxiety, feeling isolated or who are no longer able to get the care they need at home.
 
Anybody who would like to become a volunteer at Revitalise or is worried about whether their care support at home can continue, should contact Revitalise, who are able to offer long or short stays with full care support in place.
 

The Government has issued new advice on when and where people in Wolverhampton should wear face coverings to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

While evidence suggests that a face covering will not protect the person who is wearing it, it could help protect anyone else they come into contact with if they are infected but aren’t showing symptoms of Covid-19. It is also important to note that face coverings are not the same as face masks, which should be worn by frontline workers who come into close contact with others.  

The advice urges members of the public to consider wearing face coverings in situations where they may come into contact with people that they do not live with. This is particularly enclosed spaces, such as on public transport or in some shops. Certain health care settings may require you to wear a face covering.  

The council has created a handy, step-by-step guide to show people how they can make their own face covering out of an old T-shirt - https://bit.ly/3ddnLz1

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "Face coverings do not replace social distancing, good hand washing and good hygiene as the most effective measures we should all adopt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.  

"However, if you do need to go out and about, please consider wearing a face covering if you are somewhere where you will be around other people. It may not protect you, but it could help protect others if you have coronavirus but don't realise it.  

"You can make your own face coverings at home and it can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties behind the head, as long as it covers your mouth and nose and allows you to breathe comfortably.  

“Knowing how to use a face covering safely is important, for example if you touch your face covering with your hands you may spread the virus.”

To safely wear face coverings, people should wash their hands or use hand sanitiser before putting it on and taking it off, avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth at all times, and wash it after every use. When taking the face covering off, do not touch the part that has been in contact with the nose or mouth. Used face coverings should be stored in a plastic bag until they can be washed.  

Meanwhile residents are reminded they must continue to follow social distancing guidelines to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Everyone must:

Stay at home as much as possible
Work from home if you can
Limit contact with other people
Keep your distance if you go out
Wash your hands regularly
Stay at home and self-isolate if you or anyone in your household has symptoms of coronavirus, including a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.
The latest information and guidance around coronavirus is available at: www.gov.uk/coronavirus and on the council’s own coronavirus pages at: www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/coronavirus.

There’s lots of advice on how people can protect themselves and their families from coronavirus from the NHS at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus. 

The council’s Stay Safe, Be Kind campaign offers clear and simple advice about how people can help themselves, and how they can support others who may be particularly vulnerable at this time.

For more information, visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/stay-safe-be-kind.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is encouraging the nation to ‘Beat the Boredom’ and get fundraising to support the charity’s vital work while at home this summer.

For those of us missing seeing friends and family in person, the BHF is encouraging people to get together virtually by hosting a quiz, a talent show or even a grand night in with your nearest and dearest.

The charity says the virtual meetups will help keep those fed-up feelings at bay while raising funds for vital research. It’s simple to take part - just download the how to guides and start planning your virtual event.

During this coronavirus crisis, the BHF has been working tirelessly to support people with heart and circulatory diseases by providing vital information via its dedicated Heart Helpline and an online coronavirus hub.

But with the pandemic costing the charity around £10 million a month, it is now urging the  public to #BackTheBHF and help the 7.4 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases including coronary heart disease, stroke and vascular dementia. Research suggests that people with these conditions are at higher risk from Covid-19.

Chrish Perera, Head of Community Fundraising at the BHF, said: “We’re all looking for different ways to ‘Beat the Boredom’ so why not host a virtual quiz, talent show or grand night in. Download our how to guides for tips and stay connected with your families and friends by hosting a virtual fundraiser to #BackTheBHF. Every penny will go towards helping us support those across the UK living with heart and circulatory conditions.”

People can show off their newly harnessed lockdown skills, party tricks or secret hidden talents by gathering family and friends together for a fun filled talent show.

From dancing, poetry or a cute pet show, BHF say that you never know who will surprise you with their new-found talents.
Virtual Quiz Night

If there are anyone who knows their Olympic winners from their Oscar winners, Quiz Nights are an absolute winner when it comes to fundraising to put people’s knowledge to the test with the BHF virtual quiz guide where they’ve put some quiz questions together for you or why not get creative and make up your own?

Grand night in

You can get friends and family together for an unforgettable night indoors by putting together a list of fun activities and start planning. Anything goes, so why not think big with a club night and karaoke? Or keep it simple with bingo or a book club.

It has all the fun of going out but from the comfort of staying at home.

More people than ever now need the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) support to provide vital information and patient services. Without support, the British Heart Foundation can’t be there in times of need.

So, to beat heartbreak together people can set up a fundraising page by visiting bhf.org.uk/btb

A woman at the centre of an appeal for more people from ethnic backgrounds to be organ donors has received a “second chance” with a live transplant.

Sunaina Paul, 31, of Bearwood, in the West Midlands, was a priority on the transplant list, but a shortage of BAME (Black and Asian Minority Ethnic) donors meant that finding a match for her would be difficult.

However, she has now had a successful operation and is recovering in hospital.

Her auntie, Jaimini LakHani said that the family felt “blessed and grateful”.

British Punjabi Ms Paul was born with Biliary Atresia, which is a condition which bile ducts in the live are blocked, which leads to a build-up of bile, which causes damage to the liver.

“When the coronavirus pandemic broke out, Sunaina was asked to shield, but, her condition deteriorated”, her auntie said.

She received a call from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham, saying that it had a potential liver for her.

The transplant took place shortly after with her family being told that it was successful.

A hospital trust has introduced disposable headscarves for staff to use in operating theatres.

The idea for this came from a Muslin Junior doctor, Farah Roslan, who said that it follows concerns of infections to the hijab that she wears during her training at the Royal Derby Hospital.

And now she hoped that the concept can be replicated in NHS Trusts throughout the UK. However, NHS England said that the decision would be up to individual trusts.

Expanding on the concept, Dr Roslan said that the idea came to her whilst she was a medical student at the University Hospital of Derby and Burton NHS Trust.

She said: “Having been used to wearing the same headscarf throughout any given day wasn’t ideal. And, at the end of a shift, I didn’t feel comfortable when taking it off.

“A ‘middle-ground’ had to be met – between the right dress-code for me, and any other Muslims in a similar position, and being in an operating theatre.

She looked to her country of birth (Malaysia) for inspiration and ideas. Before long she designed, created and testing fabrics before introducing the final product to the University Hospital of Derby and Burton NHS Trust – who OKd its use.

The University of Birmingham and Birmingham City Council are working together to study the implications of the shutdown on schools, teachers, pupils and parents due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The Birmingham Education and Covid-19 initiative is studying the transition from classes in schools to a wide range of socially distanced learning measures for children and young people across Birmingham and beyond, as well as the imminent return to school-based learning for some pupils.

As the transmission of COVID-19 in the UK resulted in the government issuing a lockdown and shutting down schools on the 20th March, it brought unprecedented change to education. The Birmingham Education and Covid-19 initiative is working with Birmingham City Council and a variety of further stakeholders across Birmingham to understand the educational implications of the lockdown. In a matter of weeks, schools across the country have developed distance-learning tools for students of all ages. While some results of polls of teachers are beginning to emerge, we know little about the detail or the ranges of the provision offered by schools in the context of enforced social distancing, how it is being received by children and families, and how schools will manage face to face and distance learning as some year groups return to the classroom. Nor is there a clear definition on the medium and short term implications of education for students, teachers, schools or societies.

The Birmingham Education and Covid-19 initiative will:
Examine what is being done to secure education provision now for children and young people in Birmingham and the city region.
Support education systems and other agencies in the short term as they move from emergency improvisation to more sustained innovation for learning and flourishing.

Map out possible strategies to effect sustained change to education systems, institutions and practices for the medium and long term, with an emphasis on education quality, in-demand skills, social justice and equity.

The project involves virtual workshops with strategic leaders in the region, intelligence gathering through online surveys and diaries of practitioners, community organisations and families, and the development of online resources.

Professor Deborah Youdell from the University of Birmingham's School of Education who is leading the project says: "Education during school closures is a challenge that risks opening up old and new gaps and making disadvantages worse for some. But it might also show us new ways to facilitate learning for children and young people. Through The Birmingham Education and Covid-19 the University of Birmingham and Birmingham City Council will work together to ensure that we have a clear picture of the evolving education offer in the city; that we know what pupils are accessing and how they and their parents are doing; and that schools have the best possible support and resources. Longer term we hope that the lessons that we learn during COVID-19 might change education for the better, for everyone."

The team are particularly keen to understand the impacts of COVID-19 in relation to disadvantaged groups, looked after children, Black, Asian and minority ethnic pupils, young people with Special Education Needs and Disability, and Traveller children. They will also consider how the crisis affects assessment, transitions (from early years to school, from primary school to secondary school, from school to further and higher education), learning for those with low- and no- tech access, as well as institutional and systems leadership.

Cllr Jayne Francis, cabinet member for education, skills and culture at Birmingham City Council commented: "This is a vital piece of work; the closure of most schools to the majority of pupils is one of many necessary measures taken to protect lives, but we must not allow this to exacerbate already existing inequalities. We need to have detailed information about how and what young people are learning at home, and how parents and carers are coping, so we can ensure no young people and families are disadvantaged."

Through this project, the University and Birmingham City Council are working together to develop a clear picture of the evolving education offer in the city and to ensure that pupils and schools have the best possible support and resources. The Birmingham Education and Covid-19 initiative will at the end of the process issue guidance reports, online resources as well as recommendations for policy makers.
A dedicated website has been set up which provides more information for the Birmingham Education and Covid-19 project.

Everyone aged five and over in the UK with coronavirus symptoms can now be tested for the disease, Heath Secretary Matt Hancock has announced.

So what exactly is the government's testing strategy?

Making tests available to anyone over five with symptoms is a major expansion of the UK's testing programme.

When testing started, it was only for the sickest patients in hospitals, but eligibility gradually grew.

If you think you need a coronavirus test you can arrange to visit a regional test site.

Alternatively, you can ask for a home test kit - although these have been in short supply.
The test is performed by a taking a swab up the nose or from the back of the throat.

At first the British Medical Association said accessing centres was a major problem, with some people having to drive hundreds of miles to their nearest site.

New testing centres have since been opened, although people must still have access to a car and someone to drive them - or be well enough to drive themselves.

The army was also enlisted to provide pop-up testing facilities in sparsely-populated areas far away from any of the main sites.

However, concerns have been raised about long waits for some test results.

Mr Hancock also announced that the government was trialling a new much quicker swab test which doesn't need to be sent to a lab, and gives results in 20 minutes.

The new swab tests will be trialled in Hampshire in some A&E departments, GP testing hubs and care homes. The trial will run for six weeks and test up to 4,000 people.

If successful, he said the new test will be rolled out on a larger scale "as soon as we can".

The government set a target of 100,000 coronavirus tests per day across the UK by the end of April, and managed to log 122,347 tests on April 30.

But it was criticised for including in this figure about 40,000 testing kits which are counted when they are sent out.

The target was also met on 1 May. It was missed for eight consecutive days after that before being met again on 10 May.

On 20 May, 128,340 tests were provided.

Now the government is working towards a fresh target to get to 200,000 tests a day by the end of May, but this figure seems to refer to testing "capacity", not the actual number of tests carried out.

The swab test only tells you if you currently have Covid-19.

However, health officials in England have approved a test that will show if someone has had coronavirus in the past.

The new test - from Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche - looks for antibodies in the blood to see if a person has had the virus and might now have some form of immunity.

On May 21, Mr Hancock said 10 million tests had been ordered through Roche and pharmaceutical company Abbott.

He said it would be available to health and social care staff, patients and care home residents from next week.

There is an antibody test already in use at government research facility Porton Down, to make early estimates about what percentage of the population might have had the virus. But it is not accurate enough to give individuals information about their infection status.

There are also questions over how long immunity lasts. There is no evidence people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from being infected again, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

People are tested to diagnose them individually, but it can also be used to understand how far the virus has spread in the population.

Tests help people, including NHS workers, know whether they are safe to go to work. Wide testing can also let the health service plan for extra demand, and inform government decisions around social distancing and lockdowns.

For this reason, an initial 20,000 households in England will be tested every month for a year - for active coronavirus infections and for antibodies indicating a past infection.

The UK significantly increased its testing capacity throughout April, but lagged behind many other nations. Germany, for example, was regularly averaging 100,000 tests a day, by the start of last month.

The UK did not start with the resources to do mass testing, unlike some other countries.

But it also took several weeks to expand from an initial eight public health laboratories to a wider network of private and university labs.

NHS staff and care workers who come from overseas countries are to be exempted from having to pay a surcharge to use the health service after mounting pressure from MPs.

A spokesperson for Boris Johnson has said that the Prime Minister had asked the Home Office and Department for Health to exempt National Health Service and care worker “as soon as possible”.

The operation Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said that it was “a victory for common decency”.

The health immigration surcharge on non-EU migrants is £400 per year and is set to rise to £624 in October.

Officials are now working on the detail and more will be announced "in the coming days".

But it is understood the plan will include exemptions for all NHS workers, including porters and cleaners, as well as independent health workers and social care workers.

The chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, Dame Donna Kinnair, said the charge had created "an unfair and unjust financial burden", adding: "At last the government has agreed with us.

"This will ease the pressure on families who may be struggling financially or emotionally as a result."

Mr Johnson stood by the charge, telling MPs he "understood the difficulties faced by our amazing NHS staff", but said the government "must look at the realities" of funding the NHS.
It caused a backlash, with a number of Tory MPs joining opposition MPs in calling for him to reconsider - including the Tory chairman of the Commons public administration select committee, William Wragg, and his backbench colleague Sir Roger Gale.

Earlier, No 10 defended the levy, saying the money "goes directly back into the NHS to help save lives".

But now Mr Johnson's spokesman has said: "[The PM] has been thinking about this a great deal. He has been a personal beneficiary of carers from abroad and understands the difficulties faced by our amazing NHS staff.

"The purpose of the NHS surcharge is to benefit the NHS, help to care for the sick and save lives. NHS and care workers from abroad who are granted visas are doing this already by the fantastic contribution which they make."

The change was welcomed by Labour, as the party had been planning to seek an amendment to the Immigration Bill to secure the exemption.

Sir Keir tweeted: "Boris Johnson is right to have u-turned and backed our proposal to remove the NHS charge for health professionals and care workers.

"This is a victory for common decency and the right thing to do. We cannot clap our carers one day and then charge them to use our NHS the next."

Mr Wragg also praised the decision, saying the PM had "shown true leadership, listened and reflected".

The leader of the SNP in Westminster, Ian Blackford, said he was "pleased to see the change of heart after pressure", while the acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, called it "a great cross-party win".

A UK trial to see whether specialist medical sniffer dogs can detect coronavirus in human being is set to begin.

The dogs are already trained to detect odours of certain cancers, malaria and Parkinson’s disease by the charity Medical Detection Dogs.

The first phase of the trials will be led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicines, along with the charity and Durham University.

It has been backed with £500,000 of government funding.

The trial will explore whether the ‘Covid Dogs’ – made up of Labradors and cocker spaniels – can spot the virus in humans odour samples before symptoms appear.

It will establish whether so-called bio-detection dogs, which could each screen up to 250 people per hour, could be used as a new early warning measure to detect Covid-19.

The first phase will involve NHS staff in London hospitals collecting odour samples from those who are infected by coronavirus and those who are not infected.

Six dogs will then go through training to identify the virus from the samples.

More than 10 years of research gathering by Medical Detection Dogs has shown that the dogs can be trained to sniff out the odour of disease at the equivalent dilution of one teaspoon of sugar in two Olympic-sized swimming pools of water.

Claire Guest, the charity’s co-founder and chief executive, said that she was “sure our dogs will be able to find the odour of Covid-19”.

If that proves to be the case, the dogs will then move into a “second phase to test them in live situations, following which we hope to work with other agencies to train more dogs for development”, she said.

James Logan, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicines, said: “Our previous work has shown that malaria has a distinctive odour, and with medical detection dogs, we successfully trained dogs to accurately detect malaria.

“This, combined with the knowledge that respiratory diseases can change body odour, makes us hopeful that the dogs can also detect Covid-19”.

Black men and women in Great Britain are said to be nearly twice as likely to die from coronavirus as the indigenous white population according to the Office of National Statistics.

The analysis by the ONS shows that inequality is persisting after age, where people live and levels of deprivation and prior health was taken into account.

People from South Asian communities – in particularly India, Bangladesh and Pakistan – is also said to show a significantly higher risk of Covid-19 fatalities.

The government has now launched a review into the major issue.

The ONS analysis combines data on deaths involving coronavirus with information on ethnicity from the 2011 census.

Men and women from Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities have an increased risk of between 30 and 80 per cent, the analysis found.

The ONS have suggested that some of the risk might be caused by other social and economic factors that are not included in the data.

It said that some BAME groups may be over-represented in public-facing occupations and so more at risk of being infected while at work.

Shadow Justice Minister, David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, said that the greater risk faced by Black people “was appalling”.

He Tweeted: ‘It is urgent the cause of this disproportionality is investigated. Action must be taken to protect Black men and women – as well as people from all backgrounds – from the virus.’

People from a Black background account for just over 3% of the population, but account for 6% of coronavirus fatalities.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, tragic losses are being faced, often under difficult circumstances. And, for many, living in lockdown is proving to be very tough.

But for those who have lost a loved one or a friend, during this time, it can be even harder.

Now, to help people who are feeling isolated and are suffering as a result, it can be even harder.

But, a new bereavement helpline is available for people in Birmingham and Solihull in the West Midlands. And the service is available five days a week.

NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) was created to plan commission health services and work as part of a large, complex system of health and social care which includes local authorities, providers, the independent sector and GP practices.

Dr Angela Brady, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at NHS Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Losing a loved one is always difficult, but for those who live alone, or are cut off from their usual support network, it can be extremely difficult”.

“It is important to remember that taking care of our mental and emotional wellbeing during the pandemic is just as important as our physical health.

“Being able to talk to someone, especially in a time of need, can help to alleviate some of the stress and grief that comes with losing a relative or friend”.

A membership organisation with 170 GP practices and a clinically-led Government Body, NHS Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group looks after a population of around 1.3 million people with a budget in excess of £1.9 billion

Solihull Hospital, in the West Midlands, is closing its minor injuries unit with anyone who has the Covid-18 virus will be treated elsewhere.

That means that all non-surgical work will be moved to the nearby Heartlands, as well as the Queen Elizabeth Hospitals in Birmingham.

The University Hospital’s Birmingham Trust said that it was possible due to the falling number of cases in the region.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service have said that patients who are due to receive elective surgery will be screened beforehand for coronavirus and may have to self-isolate from members of their families before procedures to reduce the risk.

The initial focus will be on providing time-critical surgeries such as cancer operations.

Jonathon Brotherton, the Trust’s chief operating officer, said: “In order to do that, we need to be able to give the public the confidence that the hospital is, as far as we can possibly make it, Covid-free, and that then will encourage people to come back to the NHS for essential treatment that they need that they are not currently able to access, or willing to access, because of their concerns”.

The changes mark the Trust’s second phase of its Covid-19 response, which is planned to be operational from June 1.

The president of Tanzania has said that he will be sending a plane to Madagascar to import a herbal tonic which has been touted as a cure for coronavirus by the country’s president.
Congo-Brazzaville’s president has also promised to import the drink.

It is produced from the Artemisia plant – the source of an ingredient used in malaria treatment.

WHO (The World Health Organisation) has said that there is no proof of any cure and it has advised people against self-medication.

The president’s chief of staff, Lova Hasinirina Ranoromaro, said that the drink was launched as ‘Covid Organic’ and was being marketed after being tested on fewer than 20 people over a period of three weeks.

In response to the launch, in a statement, WHO said that they did not recommend “self-medication with any medicines… as a prevention or cure for coronavirus”.

It reiterated earlier comments made by the head of WHO, Tedros Ahanom Ghedreyasus, who said that there were “no short-cuts” to finding effective mediation to finding a cure to coronavirus.

International trials were under way to find an effective treatment, the WHO said.

Speaking on TV, Tanzania’s President John Magafuli said that he was already in contact with the Madagascan government and would despatch and aircraft to the island nation to collect the medicine.

He said: “I am in communication with Madagascar and they have already written a letter saying that they have discovered some medicine.

“We will despatch a flight to bring the medicine so that Tanzanians can also benefit.

“So, as the government, we are working day and night”.

President Magafuli has been widely criticised for his reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic. He has encouraged the public to continue to gather in places of worship, while much of the world was in lockdown.

According to WHO, Tanzania’s delay in enforcing strict measures to prevent further spread of coronavirus in the country could have led to the spike in positive cases.

There are 480 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country, while Congo-Brazzaville has 229 and Madagascar has 135.