Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Tuesday morning. We’ll have another update for you at 18:00 BST.
1. Spanish travel latest
Spain’s prime minister says the UK’s decision to impose a two-week quarantine on everyone arriving from his country is “unjust”. Pedro Sanchez said Britons would be safer from coronavirus in most regions of Spain than in the UK. Talks are taking place, he added. While the virus remains under control in many parts of Spain, certain areas have seen a huge spike. Labour called the government’s handling of the restrictions “chaotic”. Read the rules in detail and your rights if you had a trip booked.
2. Translation criticism
The health secretary has been told a lack of translated coronavirus guidance is jeopardising the safety of non-English speakers in the UK. The government said it has translated public health information into 25 languages, but Doctors of the World, which co-ordinated a letter to Matt Hancock from local authorities, public health leaders and charities, said that’s not enough and leaves many people unable to properly protect themselves. More than 860,000 people in the UK speak little or no English, according to official figures.
Image copyright
Doctors of the World
The charity has translated coronavirus advice into 60 languages (such as Tigrinya) to combat what it calls a government “blind spot”
3. Repatriation ‘too slow’
More criticism for the government this morning comes from a group of MPs, who believe the Foreign Office operation to bring home more than a million Britons at the start of the pandemic was too slow. The advice given to those stranded was also misleading or confusing, the Foreign Affairs Committee says, while “little was done” to provide financial support for those facing hardship while stuck abroad.
Image copyright
AFP
The committee said the Foreign Office had relied too much on commercial flights
4. Cycling boost
For days now we’ve been learning about government plans to improve public health in order to strengthen resilience to coronavirus. Today the focus is on how it intends to spend £2bn to promote cycling and walking in England, including thousands of miles of new cycle lanes and cycle training for anyone who wants it. A scheme offering £50 bike repair vouchers is also being launched today. This certainly isn’t the first attempt by a government to tackle the problem of obesity – BBC Reality Check looks at the success of its predecessors.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
5. Print pioneers
Hunting for a magazine to read during lockdown, six-year-old Faith Boyd and her mother, Serlina, were disappointed by the lack of diversity. So they took action and launched the UK’s first magazine for young black girls. It’s already sold more than 11,000 copies. Earlier this month, we also told you about 10-year-old Arlo Lippiatt, whose lockdown project was creating a music fanzine.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
Get a longer news briefing from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning, by signing up here.
And don’t forget…
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page and follow our live page for all the latest from around the world.
Plus, watch the very powerful story of Monica Munoz, from Texas, whose own devastating loss at the hands of Covid-19 says much about how badly the Hispanic community is being hit.
What questions do you have about coronavirus?
In some cases, your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.
Use this form to ask your question: