UK warns of tougher social distancing measures
April 5, 2020, 3:05 pm

UK warns of tougher social distancing measures

Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned lockdown conditions would be tightened to include banning outside exercise if people flout stringent anti-virus guidelines File photo AFP

The British government on Sunday warned that outside exercise could be banned if people flout stringent guidelines to cut the spread of coronavirus infections.

The UK government on March 23 ordered a three-week shutdown of non-essential shops and services to cut close-contact transmission of the virus. UK warns

But warmer weekend weather has stoked fears that people could congregate in parks and open spaces, potentially threatening any gains made in cutting transmission rates.

A major south London park was closed on Sunday after concern about high numbers of sunbathers on Saturday.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who himself tested positive for COVID-19, told Sky News television that sunbathing was "against the rules" and anyone doing so put lives at risk.

He told the BBC most people were following guidance only to leave their homes to shop for essential supplies and medicine, and to exercise once a day.

But he said it was "quite unbelievable" that a minority were not.

"The truth is the more people go out from home, the more the virus spreads," he added. UK warns

"I don't want to have to take away exercise as a reason to leave home because people are not following the rules...

"If the result of that is that too many people go out and flout the rules I'm afraid we'll have to take action."

Hancock later told a daily government briefing changes to social distancing rules were "not imminent".

Meanwhile, in Scotland, the country's chief medical officer apologized for ignoring her advice about non-essential travel.

Police said they warned Catherine Calderwood twice visiting her family's second home more than an hour from Edinburgh after photographs were published in a newspaper. UK warns of

Chief constable Iain Livingstone of Police Scotland said officers "spoke to her about her action, reiterated crucial advice and issued a warning about her future conduct".

Calderwood, who fronts a public advertising campaign urging Scots to stay at home, told a news conference: "What I did was wrong. I'm very sorry. It will not happen again." UK warns of

She added: "This was a mistake. Human error. And there's no excuses. I should not have done what I did."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said people's criticism and anger was justified, and she was right to apologize. But she backed her to remain rather than resign.

"She should not have got this wrong... But I need to have the best possible expertise... if we are to steer the best course through this," she added.

The developments came as Britain reported 621 more deaths as of 1600 GMT on Saturday, taking the total toll to 4,934.

The toll -- down from a record day-on-day high of 708 as of Friday, after a week of steady increases -- includes a five-year-old child and seven healthcare workers.

There were 47,806 confirmed hospital cases as of 0800 GMT on Sunday, up 5,903 on the previous 24 hours. UK warns

Queen Elizabeth II will make a rare special address at 1900 GMT on Sunday in which she is expected to praise people's response to the outbreak.

Her eldest son and heir, Prince Charles is recovering from mild symptoms of COVID-19.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in self-isolation with a high temperature after testing positive for the disease, which is expected to peak in Britain in the next week to 10 days.

His pregnant partner, Carrie Symonds, said she has also shown symptoms but not been tested. levant

source: AFP levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”