What the papers have said in the week ending November 15
This week England is locked down for the second time – with a hoped-for end December 2nd – but we are not sure that it will be deemed safe to open by then.
The questioning of the rule which has banned communal worship has not been answered, but is being discussed in high places
- https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2020/6-november/news/uk/theresa-may-among-parliamentarians-to-speak-out-against-ban-on-public-worship
- https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/uk-news/2020/11/14/church-leaders-launch-legal-action-over-public-worship-ban/
A small Biotech company has released news of a possible breakthrough in the effort to produce a safe and effective vaccine against Covid 19
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/10/tuesday-briefing-vaccine-news-moves-the-needle-in-covid-fight
- This released a fever of frantic speculation of how the vaccine will be made, distributed and injected
There is turmoil at the heart of government, with key figures falling out and being removed from office https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/11/13/proper-return-cabinet-government-can-right-sinking-ship/
There is worrying evidence that this virus is changing – sometimes in alternative hosts
There is confirmation that the virus itself, and the restrictions to freedom of life-style, has damaging effects on health, especially mental health
- https://articles.cafeyn.co/2e499b/the-guardian/2020-11-09/nspcc-warns-of-lockdowns-toll-on-childrens-mental-health
- People with established mental disorders are more prone to contract the disease – and additional mental health problems are seen in survivors https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/10/nearly-one-in-five-covid-patients-later-diagnosed-with-mental-illness-study30 times the average
- A study using a register based in Bristol University has shown that individuals known to have a Learning Disability are six times as likely to die from Covid 19, than are people in the general population. For people aged 18-34 years old the excess deaths are 30 times the average https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/12/covid-deaths-for-people-with-learning-disability-in-england-six-times-average
- The impact of Covid 19 on individuals of the BAME communities has been reviewed b a team in Leicester. From a meta-analysis of 50 published papers, they conclude that Black people are twice as likely to contract the disease as White people. Asians 1.5 times Whites people. This is linked to circumstances and life styles. Death rates within the populations of infected people are only marginally different. This does suggest that preventative approach can be taken. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30374-6/fulltext
- Hospitals throughout Europe are struggling https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/12/global-report-lockdowns-start-to-limit-covid-19-spread-in-europe?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_query_empty&utm_campaign=NewsbyLarry&utm_medium=Social&utm_query_whitespace&utm_Echobox=Echobox&utm_source=Facebook
Remembrance Day was modified: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/nov/08/britain-marks-remembrance-sunday-with-scaled-down-ceremony
Diwali will be constrained https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/nov/13/rishi-sunak-hindus-lockdown-rules-diwali#:~:text=The%20UK%20chancellor%2C%20Rishi%20Sunak,five%2Dday%20festival%20of%20lights.
And the day to day life and death of people in care homes, and their families is pushed to extremes https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/11/covid-care-home-called-police-after-woman-snuck-in-to-see-husband
Standing back a little from Covid 19: concerns for the future of the planet and its population in the environmental crisis, receive a comment and guidance from the Dalai Lama https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/11/buddha-would-be-green-dalai-lama-calls-for-urgent-climate-action
John Lewis as a guide to the mood and values of the nation, is not using religious themes in its Christmas advertising, but the theme of kindness features more than greed https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/nov/13/john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert-2020
During this week we lost:
The very dreadful Yorkshire Ripper: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/nov/13/peter-sutcliffe-obituary
And the very wonderful and widely appreciate Lord Jonathan Sachs
- https://www.theguardian.com/global/2020/nov/08/lord-jonathan-sacks-obituary
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/08/jonathan-sacks-former-chief-rabbi-is-buried-in-modest-ceremony
People are reading more, walking dogs and walking whenever they can Dreading a winter lockdown? Learn to love hiking in the rain | Melissa Harrison
David Jolley
