March 04, 2020
Update: See the latest stories on the coronavirus outbreak.
Boris Johnson Announces Statutory Sick Pay From Day One To Fight Coronavirus
Boris Johnson has announced that statutory sick pay will be available from the first day of illness under emergency legislation to tackle the coronavirus.
Under current rules workers only receive the pay, £94 a week, from the fourth day off work.
Speaking during PMQs on Wednesday, the prime minister said people who self-isolate were “helping to protect all of us by slowing the spread of the virus”.
“If they stay at home and if we ask people to self-isolate, they may lose out financially,” he told the Commons. 
Johnson added: “Nobody should be penalised for doing the right thing.”
But Jeremy Corbyn, the outgoing Labour leader, warned there were two million workers, “many of them women in the care sector”. who were not entitled to statutory sick pay.
“The prime minister’s statement just now is not clear whether it covers them or not, and those on social security could face sanctions if they miss appointments and therefore they and their families will face terrible hardship,” he said.
Frances O’Grady, the general secretary of the TUC, said the announcement was an “important step forward” but was “not enough”.
“Two million workers still don’t earn enough to qualify for statutory sick pay. They can’t afford not to work. And statutory sick pay still isn’t enough to live on,” she said.
“Government must go further to ensure that no one is penalised for doing the right thing.”
It comes the day after the government launched its “battle plan” to combat the outbreak with a warning that up to a fifth of the UK workforce could be off sick when the virus hits its peak.
This morning England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, warned the UK is “likely” to see an epidemic.
He said the NHS would cope with a major spread of cases but could come under “very high pressure” in a large epidemic.
Whitty told BBC Breakfast there could be a need to do “extreme things” to protect the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.
Ministers today launched a new campaign to encourage people to take simple steps to protect themselves.
The publicity campaign seeks to drive home the message that regular hand-washing is the single most important action individuals can take in the fight against Covid-19.
The new adverts say hand-washing should be for 20 seconds, using soap and water or hand sanitiser.Are you unemployed or one of the two million workers who don’t earn enough to qualify for statutory sick pay? Have coronavirus measures left you unable to work from home or at all or stockpile? Contact sara.nelson@huffpost.comRelated... Coronavirus Is Dividing The Rich And Poor – And Could Drag Hundreds Of Thousands Into Poverty
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Mary Trump 'energized' as uncle 'Donald's campaign spirals into chaos'
Mar 29, 2024
Donald Trump's campaign is in chaos, and his niece says she's energized.Mary Trump, the niece of the former president and a psychologist by trade, has previously been critical of her uncle.On Thursday, she said her uncle's failures are adding up.ALSO READ: A neuroscientist reveals how Trump and Biden's cognitive impairments are different"As the RNC’s fundraising falters and Donald’s campaign spirals into chaos, I am energized!" she said in a Substack post.She then continued:"When Donald dominates the news cycle, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed. Every bad headline has a negative impact. But then I remember something crucial: There’s usually more to the story than meets the eye. I’m determined to cut through the media noise and share with you all the good that happened this week. These are the headlines we need to remain energized and hopeful that the media largely ignored."Mary Trump goes on to highlight President Joe Biden's recent fundraising hauls."President Biden’s $155 million+ war chest has just received another turbo boost, bringing the total of cash on hand to at least $180 million. (By comparison, between his campaign and the RNC, Donald barely has over $50 million — and continues to drain the accounts to cover his absolutely staggering legal expenses)," she wrote. "This is a development that could significantly increase Biden’s ability to influence the narrative in crucial swing states."This, she says, also tells us a lot about voter excitement for Biden."While critics have expressed doubts about the degree to which the Democratic base is fired up as compared to 2020, today’s $25 million fundraiser, raised with donations ranging from $250 to $500,000, should put any doubts to rest — yes, we are absolutely behind President Biden and Vice President Harris and we’re in this fight until the end," she wrote.Read the full post here.
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