Newspaper headlines: Virus \'nears peak\' and praise for fundraising \'hero\'
Newspaper headlines: Virus 'nears peak' and praise for fundraising 'hero'
By BBC NewsStaff
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The number of new cases of coronavirus in the UK is "flattening out", the Times says. Its report says the UK is reaching the peak of the epidemic and will soon be able to finalise plans for lifting lockdown measures. The front page also features a photo of Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, a pregnant nurse whose baby was delivered successfully after she died with the virus.
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The Metro says the 28-year-old nurse died on Sunday at the Luton hospital where she worked, after her daughter was delivered by emergency Caesarean section. Ms Agyapong was "valued and loved" and her "miracle" baby daughter is a "beacon of light", the report adds.
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From young survivors to old, another "ray of hope" is Connie Titchen, who at 106 is thought to be the oldest patient to survive coronavirus, the Guardian reports. The paper's lead story says there has been a surge in the number of people dying at home because they are "reluctant" to call an ambulance.
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The Daily Mirror says it is "unbelievable" that "under-fire" Health Secretary Matt Hancock has offered a badge to care home staff working during the pandemic. While Mr Hancock said a badge would let workers "publically identify themselves", as NHS staff do, the paper's tone is one of scorn - as it references "desperate staff" pleading for protective equipment.
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By contrast, the Daily Mail says the green badge is a "victory" for carers. It says Mr Hancock's promise of a "single brand" badge for care workers came after a campaign by the paper for staff to be recognised for their "heroic work". The badge Mr Hancock displayed was introduced last year by Care England, which represents care home providers.
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The i describes the "living hell" of working in a care home, which it calls the "forgotten front line" of the coronavirus epidemic. The paper says staff still do not have access to sufficient protective equipment, and that carers are worried they could lose their jobs if they raise concerns about their safety.
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Despite coronavirus "finally" reaching its peak in the UK, the Daily Telegraph says the government is expected to extend lockdown measures for another three weeks on Thursday. It adds ministers will face fresh accusations that it "does not trust the public enough" to disclose when and how the measures will be lifted.
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"Testing times", a sub-head in the Financial Times reads, as it draws attention to the UK government's struggle to meet its daily target for the number of coronavirus tests carried out. The paper says Health Secretary Matt Hancock is still aiming to meet the target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April - despite not reaching its target of 25,000 per day this week.
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Calls for a fundraising "hero" to be knighted make the front page of the Daily Express. Second World War veteran Tom Moore, 99, has raised £10m for NHS charities after his sponsored walk - 100 laps of his garden before he turns 100 - went viral online. The country is "in awe", the Express says.
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"Arise Sir Tom" reads the headline in the Daily Star, as it joins calls for Mr Moore to be knighted for his £10m achievement. The war veteran said the response to his call for sponsors has been "completely out of this world".
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Meanwhile the Sun is backing a call from Lord Ashcroft to award the George Cross medal to front line healthcare workers. It says the award is given "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger".
Several of Thursday's newspapers carry hope the UK is reaching the peak of the coronavirus epidemic.
Quoting Prof Chris Whitty on the number of cases "flattening out", the Times says the news means the UK will soon be able to finalise plans for lifting lockdown measures.
The Daily Mail, meanwhile, has a stark account of the impact coronavirus is having on care homes.
It describes how six of the 18 residents at Philia Lodge care home in Peterborough have died in just 10 days. Some 85% of carers there have either been sick or had to self-isolate after coming into contact with infected residents.
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Media captionPeterborough care home boss moves in as third of residents die
It asks why the testing of residents and their support staff was not done earlier - and writes it is impossible to see how the government can meet its promises to achieve this.
The Daily Telegraph highlights concerns that hospital patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 will continue to be discharged into care homes.
Charities and local authority leaders say the approach is "madness" because many homes do not have the resources to keep vulnerable and elderly residents safe.
The Times expresses concern that the government scheme to help small businesses is not coming to the rescue for enough of them, and the money is not getting through fast enough.
It calls for the process to be beefed up - and urges the chancellor to follow Switzerland and Germany by guaranteeing 100% of the loans rather than 80% per cent as at present.
Writing for the online edition of the New Statesman, Emily Tamkin acknowledges the WHO has made mistakes, and its relationship to China is worthy of investigation - but says the body is not the reason that the situation in the US deteriorated.
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Princess Anne has been interviewed by Vanity Fair ahead of her 70th birthday
Several of the papers have details of a rare interview by the Princess Royal in which she warns the younger generation of royals against reinventing the wheel when it comes to their duties.
The Daily Mail says Princess Anne used the interview with Vanity Fair to caution more youthful family members not to change the traditional approach to charity work, although did not single out anyone in particular.
During the interview, ahead of her 70th birthday, she also says she finds it difficult to understand why people get sucked into screens and devices. Life's too short, frankly, she concludes.