Category: Covid-19

MADISON (WKOW) Early evidence from the pandemic suggests that people who use traditional or electronic cigarettes not only increase their likelihood of catching the coronavirus, but also put themselves at higher risk of experiencing more severe forms of COVID-19.

While few research studies have investigated the connection between smoking, vaping and COVID-19, cigarette smoke and vaping aerosol are known to cause lung inflammation and lowered immune function, which are both associated with more severe cases of COVID-19, according to a UW Health news release.

We know that smoking traditional or electronic cigarettes causes significant damage to the lungs, and there is reason to worry that people who smoke or vape will experience much worse outcomes should they be infected with the coronavirus, says Dr. Brian Williams, UW Health hospitalist and researcher at UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (CTRI). We are constantly learning new things about how this virus is attacking the lungs and given what we already know about the toxicity of nicotine and flavored vaping liquids, there is no better time to quit.

With that said, people often use smoking and vaping as a form of stress relief, and Williams and other physicians understand that quitting this habit during a pandemic can seem daunting for some.

However, there are a number of good resources available for people who need help in quitting.

Call 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669)Visit http://www.quitnow.netTeen.Smokefree.govText READY to 200-400

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Vaping and smoking could increase susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19 - WKOW

Utah, we are precariously perched on a tipping point.

After two months of sacrifice and bitter economic hardship, we came together to flatten that proverbial curve and control the coronavirus spread. It was inspiring to see people pull together and it enabled us to take baby steps on the long road to normalcy.

But all you have to do is look around and see too many people have taken loosening restrictions to mean that the virus is gone, the disease vanquished and life can go back to normal.

Who can blame them? The past few months have been excruciating. Were over it and ready to live our lives.

Unfortunately, were just starting to see the fallout from that attitude in our most recent coronavirus data.

In the past 10 days, we added more than 3,500 new cases, 350 a day on average. For most of May, we averaged 150 per day. Its a troubling spike. The past two weeks have seen 13 of the 14 highest case totals since the outbreak began.

Utah experienced the sixth highest per capita increase in cases in the nation last week, according to data crunched by FiveThirtyEights Nate Silver.

Utahs transmission rate which represents how many people will be infected by someone who has the virus had been at or below 1, meaning the number of new infections would stay fairly steady. Now it is right around 1.2, which may not sound like much, but its an increase of 20% that, if it continues, will mean continued sharp growth in new cases.

There is good news. While the number of hospitalizations has been climbing, the percent of hospital beds occupied is still manageable and the rates of those infected who end up in the hospital, an intensive care unit or dead are well below the national average.

The problem, however, is where the state goes from here.

Were sort of in this in-between, Lindsay Keegan, an epidemiologist at the University of Utah who is helping the state model the outbreak, told me last week. It could explode any second or it could just be a blip from Memorial Day.

Now this is a key point: Experts like Keegan say we are still in the beginning phase, really. The virus hasnt peaked yet. Salt Lake County has identified one new case related to the recent protests, and more are likely.

Things are going to get worse before they get better and our actions play a huge role on how steep the spike becomes.

If we stay on the current course, she said, Utah hospitals should be just grazing the maximum capacity needed to handle every sick person when the virus peaks. But if people continue to get complacent if they stop distancing, if they dont wear masks, if they arent washing hands and practicing good hygiene the demand could exceed the available beds and strain the medical systems ability to respond. That means the Utah of tomorrow becomes the New York of the recent past. Do you remember the stories told by Intermountain caregivers who worked in New York? They are haunting.

So far, Keegan said, people dont seem concerned Theyve just willed it away, she said and each time she runs the numbers the curve ticks slightly higher and higher.

It may seem a little counterintuitive, but the reality is that we are all at much greater risk of contracting the coronavirus today than we were a month or two months ago.

Thats because the Utah Department of Health reports that there are currently nearly 6,000 active cases. Thats more than twice as many as there were on May 1, and these are the cases we know about. The bottom line is there are many more carriers who can expose you to the virus.

Combine that with the loosened restrictions and increased interaction and you get why your chances of getting the virus go up as we return to normal. Unfortunately, that can be lost in the states oversimplified color-coding system.

I worry that the average person, when you tell them were going from orange to yellow or yellow to green sees that as a license to take things easier, right? Because thats what it usually means, Dr. Sankar Swamanithan, the head of infectious disease at the University of Utah, explained. What it actually means is there are going to be more people out there doing more things they werent doing before and your risk of contracting the disease is going to go up.

Its a calculated trade-off between having a lockdown and having a functioning society, but there is going to be a price for it, he said. The only way to keep that price from being too high is to be vigilant.

Im not suggesting we put everything back on lockdown. While it made sense in the early stages of the outbreak, when we knew almost nothing about the virus and hospitals were scrambling to stockpile protective equipment, we have somewhat of a grasp on how we can control it.

For weeks during our lockdown, there was a steady drumbeat in conservative circles including from some of the Republican gubernatorial candidates that the restrictions imposed by the state were too draconian, too painful and that the governments job should be to give people guidance and the best information and trust that theyll make good decisions.

Now, as we teeter on this tipping point, the big question is: Will Utahns squander the sacrifices we made since March to combat COVID-19, or are we willing to do what we know needs to be done in order to save lives? Its up to us.

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Robert Gehrke: Utah is at a COVID-19 tipping point. Things could get much worse if we don't step up now. - Salt Lake Tribune

photo by: Kevin Anderson/Journal-World File Photo

The Lawrence-Douglas County health department's home at the Community Health Facility, 200 Maine St., is pictured in this file photo from July 2010.

Story updated at 1:33 p.m. Monday

Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health has announced the first COVID-19 outbreak in the county.

Four individuals were infected at the same business, which the health department said it did not identify because of patient privacy restrictions. The situation met the definition of an outbreak because there were more than two cases with the same identified source of exposure, and those infected do not reside in the same household.

Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health said in a Friday news release that it was confident it has communicated with everyone in the affected business and worked to identify close contacts of those who were affected. The health department said it thought the business followed proper guidelines including structuring activity to keep groups small to minimize the circles of potential close contacts.

Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health was able to offer testing to symptomatic and asymptomatic people at the business who were identified as being close contacts to the affected individuals.

Spokesman George Diepenbrock said Monday that the business falls under the category of a private business, but he would not state the name or type of the organization due to privacy concerns.

In this case, we were confident in being able to identify all close contacts in working with the organization, and we did not want to risk identifying individuals by releasing the name or type of site of the outbreak, he wrote in an email to the Journal-World.

In the news release, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health said it knew the news of an outbreak could be somewhat alarming.

With our community opening up more in recent weeks as we currently are under phase 3 (through at least June 21) of the reopening plan, this is a reminder the coronavirus is still present in our community and that we all need to continue to be vigilant, smart and safe in following recommended guidelines to contain the spread of the virus and protect those who might be most vulnerable, the release stated. This includes keeping your circle of contacts small, wearing a mask in public and maintain proper social distance from others outside of your home.

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Health department announces first COVID-19 outbreak in Douglas County; 4 infected at same business - Lawrence Journal-World

SIOUX CITY For Sioux City Explorers manager Steve Montgomery, this is the first summer he won't be wearing a uniform in almost 20 years. For Explorers director of baseball and stadium operations Boyd Pitkin, it's been about 50 years.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced both of them to have a summer away from baseball.

On Friday, while the Explorers called it a postponement of their 2020 season, it essentially canceled the 2020 campaign for the American Association organization.

"It's obviously disappointing. From the ownership on down, it's disappointing," Montgomery said. "It's heartbreaking, for the owner and all the way down to the players. I am having to deliver bad news to players right now. I fully support (owner) John (Roost), (president) Matt (Adamski), Boyd, Connor (Ryan), the full-time employees. I am very proud to come up there every summer.

"It's disheartening but at the same time, I support this decision. At no time am I disappointed with my organization."

The decision comes a season after the Explorers played for the American Association championship, finishing as the runner-up to the St. Paul Saints, who will be playing this season as one of six American Association teams that will go on with a 60-game campaign.

In a press release, Roost said: Not getting together this summer at the ballpark to enjoy the game we so dearly love will be disappointing to say the least. Everyone in the organization truly looks forward to putting together a great season and making a run for a championship. We know that our baseball season isnt just a series of games; it is Americas Pastime and a passion that occupies valuable space in the hearts of all members of the Explorers family.

It was a decision the organization didn't come to lightly.

Back in April, the American Association decided to postpone the start of the season to July but with no exact start date besides sometime in early July. Since then, the owners of the 12 American Association teams have had weekly conference calls to assess the possibilities of having a season and which organizations could participate. Teams had to factor in how open their states were and their own countries, as was the case for the Winnipeg Goldeneyes in Canada.

Roost and the rest of the X's front office staff held out as long as they could. But stadiums in Iowa are not allowed to be filled to its maximum capacity yet, per a directive from Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. The coronavirus is still a concern, which is what caused the American Association season to be postponed in the first place.

"With everything we've been dealing with as an organization and as a society, it was in the best interest, not just the organization, but for the fans, players and the front office, to not have a season," Pitkin said. "(The coronavirus) did play a big role. At a time right now, it's a worrisome situation. We did not come to this decision lightly. Steve, myself, pitching coach Bobby Post, John, we all wanted to play but this is in the best interest of the organization.

"There was a lot of stuff in the stadium we would need to do for our staff and our fans. Just a lot of things had to go right for us to play."

However, when things shifted in the wrong direction, it was a quick decision. Roost held out on this decision for awhile. Pitkin said the decision was at 50/50 for weeks but the decision tilted in the wrong way recently.

"Unfortunately, it went into the 50 where we are not playing. It's okay. We will be back strong and ready to go for 2021," Pitkin said. "John made the decision (Friday) during the meeting that we would not be playing. We held out as long as we could to get as much information as possible. Based on the info we have from the local government and Siouxland, that's when he made the decision to postpone the 2020 season.

"I would like to thank our fans and sponsors as they stuck with us as long as they could. They are a vital part of the organization and I hope we will be seeing them in 2021."

The press release went out at 4:25 p.m. Friday. Montgomery found out about the decision a couple of hours before that.

"I think my owner did what is in the best interest for Sioux City, the community, the host families, everything. He's been very supportive and I think it's a good decision for him," Montgomery said. "We are looking at 2021 now. I don't think the goals change and we are going to build a roster that all of us from Sioux City will be proud of."

Montgomery said he plans to be back for the 2021 season and the X's have had plenty of success under his watch. Since 2015, the Explorers have had four winning seasons with him and last season was the organization's second trip to the championship series with Montgomery at the helm.

The Cleburne Railroaders, the Gary Southshore RailCatss, the Kansas City T-Bones, the Lincoln Saltdogs and the Texas AirHogs are the other five American Association teams who also decided to suspend operations for 2020.

The Chicago Dogs, the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, the Winnipeg Goldeneyes, the Milwaukee Milkmen, the Saints and the Sioux Falls Canaries will all continue with a 2020 American Association season that consists of a 60-game season starting on Friday, July 3.

The American Association will begin the season operating out of three locations with games hosted by the RedHawks, the Milkmen and the Canaries. Each team will play 42 of their 60 games in their hub to limit travel. Fans are also planned to be in attendance.

"It's just your competitive nature to get out there and want to play," Pitkin said. "You see other teams out there, you want to get out there. That's on a selfish standpoint. On a non-selfish standpoint, you look at the big picture and that's how the decision was made."

A draft of players from non-participating American Association clubs will happen to allow the best possible talent available to play this season. The Explorers had 24 players signed for the 2020 season.

"We have some very loyal players. They were all looking forward to putting that uniform on," Montgomery said. "There could be an opportunity to play in another city through the draft. Whether they want to go or not is up to them. We would retain the rights for the following season."

Montgomery will now spend the summer with his family in Tampa Bay, Florida. The 46-year-old has been married for 19 years and the couple has two kids, a son who is 16 and a daughter who is 12. It will be the first time Montgomery has gotten to spend a full summer with his family.

"I am going to take advantage of that," Montgomery said. "I've been working with my son over the last four months. He's a baseball player and is talented and I am taking advantage of this. I am probably going to coach his team. I have the chance to spend 18 months with them and I need to take advantage of that."

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Coronavirus brief: What happened in COVID-19 news over the weekend in Sioux City, beyond - Sioux City Journal

More men dying from COVID-19 than women, but as with so much about this disease, the reasons are unclear  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Excerpt from:

More men dying from COVID-19 than women, but as with so much about this disease, the reasons are unclear - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

COVID-19 antibodies have not been detected in up to 8.5% of patients diagnosed with the disease, a study has found.

However researchers say the antibodies remain stable in the blood of most infected people almost two months after they are diagnosed - and possibly longer.

It comes after the government announced last month the supply of 10 million antibody tests to show if someone has had COVID-19 and potentially developed immunity to the virus.

Antibodies are produced by the immune system when it is being attacked in order to destroy substances which carry disease.

Experts from St George's, University of London; St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine analysed antibody test results from 177 people diagnosed with COVID-19.

The pre-print study, which has not been peer-reviewed, found that the levels of antibodies in patients which produced them remained stable for the duration of the study - almost two months.

But between 2% and 8.5% of patients did not develop COVID-19 antibodies at all, the researchers found.

The experts said this could be because the immune response in those patients could be through other mechanisms, such as different antigens.

The study also found that patients with the most severe infections were more likely to develop antibodies, suggesting a higher viral load could lead to greater stimulation of antibody development.

Being of non-white ethnicity was also associated with a higher antibody response, tying into the knowledge that patients from BAME backgrounds are more likely to develop severe disease, the researchers said.

Older patients or those who were overweight were also more likely to have an antibody response, they added.

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Professor Sanjeev Krishna, from St George's, University of London, said: "We need to understand how best to interpret the results from these tests to control the spread of the virus, as well as identifying those who may be immune to the disease."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last month that research had shown at least 5% of people in the UK have now developed COVID-19 antibodies - and at least 17% of Londoners have them.

But experts are still unsure what level of immunity recovering from the disease provides and how long it lasts.

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Coronavirus: COVID-19 antibodies not detected in up to 8.5% of patients, study finds - Sky News

THE LATEST:

Officials in B.C. will provide the latest details on the COVID-19 pandemic in the province on Monday at 3 p.m.

The last update came Friday when officials announced onenew deathafter the province marked six consecutivedays without a fatality linked to coronavirus.

Health Minister Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry saythey have been closely monitoring infections as theprovince rolls out COVID-19 restart plans, which have allowed anarray of restaurants and personal service establishments to reopen.

They saidnewly enhanced guidance for restaurants and pubs is alsoavailable from WorkSafeBC to adjust forsmall clusters of new casesas employees spendmore time together.

The province also said a safe number of patronsis highly dependent on the amount of space within each location, notthe restaurant capacity.

On Thursday Henry said operators will no longer be limited to serving 50 per cent of their normal capacity.

As of Friday,168 people have died from COVID-19 in the province, while there have been 2,709 confirmed cases. 12 people werein hospital with the virus, including three in intensive care.

As cases wane, the Ministry of Health has pulled back on briefings fromHenry and Dix.

They are now happening on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week. The ministry has been releasing a statement update on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Updates have not been provided on weekends.

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Important reminders:

Health officials widely agree the most important thing you can do to prevent coronavirus and other illnesses is to wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.

The World Health Organizationsaidmore than 80 per centof COVID-19 infections are estimated to be mild.

As of Sunday, there were 98,787 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases in Canada, with 60,272 cases considered recovered or resolved. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial data, regional health information and CBC's reporting stood at 8,198.

For a look at what's happening across the country and the world, check theCBC interactive case tracker.

What are the symptoms ofCOVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Stay home. Isolate yourself andcall your local public health authorityor 811. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested.

Find information about COVID-19 from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

Non-medical information about COVID-19 is available in B.C. from7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. PT, sevendays a week at 1-888-COVID19 (1-888-268-4319).

What can I do toprotect myself?

More detailed information on the outbreak is available on thefederal government's website.

If you have a COVID-19-related story we should pursue that affects British Columbians, please email us atimpact@cbc.ca

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What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for June 15, 2020 - CBC.ca

Care homes have been ordered to destroy a batch of faulty Covid-19 test kits after it was discovered that the swabs could break off while being used to gather samples from residents tonsils and noses.

Care home managers were told on Sunday not to use the tests because they had brittle stems at risk of snapping. The kits were manufactured by Citotest, a company based in China, and were distributed by the governments Covid-19 care home testing programme. It is tasked with providing tests for all staff and residents in care settings, not just people displaying symptoms.

The affected batch should be destroyed or kept in a safe area clearly marked with warnings not to use them, officials said, adding that the problem emerged on Saturday and they were working as quickly as possible to resolve it.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the batch could have contained tens of thousands of tests and that a complaint had been raised with the manufacturer, with whom discussions were ongoing.

We are aware of an issue with one batch of swab sticks which are being replaced where needed but this does not affect any tests, or the results of tests, previously taken, a DHSC spokesperson said. Testing is unaffected and people should still arrive for their booked tests.

But for care homes affected it means a further delay in finding out who is infected. Homes have been calling for repeat testing of staff and residents to limit an expected second peak of infections. Last week the social care minister, Helen Whately, said the government had asked the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) for guidance on the appropriate frequency of repeat testing.

Labour said the problem was a sign that the government must get a grip of testing in care homes, as they will not be emerging from lockdown any time soon.

There should now be routine testing of care home staff, yet there are still too many reports of delays in getting tests back, void results and now this issue of problems with swabs, said Liz Kendall, the shadow care minister. Ministers must ensure that testing is regular and reliable for the foreseeable future, to help keep all older and disabled people safe.

The DHSC said it had not received any reports of people being hurt by the tests and described the recall as a precautionary measure. It said Public Health England would provide support should care homes fall short of test kits and that some care homes had already begun receiving replacement kits. More were due to receive kits in the next 24 hours.

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DHSC tells care homes to destroy batch of Covid-19 tests over safety fears - The Guardian

A steep rise in coronavirus cases in Chile has plunged the government into crisis and prompted intense criticism of its management of the pandemic.

Divisions between the government and sectors of the medical community led to the resignation of the health minister, Jaime Maalich, on Saturday, shortly after 234 deaths in 24 hours had been confirmed, the highest daily toll to date. Chile is among the countries with the highest number of daily cases relative to population size.

I want to call for dialogue and cooperation between research centres, the medical union and scientific community, Maalichs successor, Dr Enrique Paris, a former head of Chiles medical union, said. Here begins a new era in which we must hear contrasting opinions.

The pandemic has claimed the lives of 3,101 people who have tested positive for the virus in Chile, but the governments statistics has been repeatedly questioned.

An investigation found on Friday that according to unpublished health ministry data, more than 5,000 people had died when probable coronavirus deaths were incorporated into the total, as per World Health Organization guidelines.

According to government statistics, Chile has confirmed 167,355 cases since its first case on 3 March, the vast majority recorded after the government prematurely espoused a gradual return to normality in April.

While case numbers were still low, an immunity passport scheme was devised, but the government backtracked quickly when the WHO expressed concern over the plans and said there was no proven link between recovery and immunity.

Health system capacity was not the problem in Chile, said Dr lvaro Erazo, a former health minister. But our ability to handle the crisis has been negated by a lacklustre communications strategy that saw the government encourage people to go back to normal, all while the curve was soaring upwards.

The health ministry had also promoted a strategy of dynamic lockdowns, in which quarantines were imposed and lifted strategically across the capital. The policy was unsuccessful because commuter travel between unrestricted regions continued to proliferate the spread of the virus.

Maalich later admitted in a television interview that he had not appreciated the level of poverty and overcrowding in parts of the capital, which partly explained the governments inability to stem the spread of the virus in the poorer southern suburbs. His willingness to implement expert advice was also questioned.

Given the governments unpopularity at the onset of the pandemic, a more inclusive and participatory approach would certainly have been better, said Dr Ximena Aguilera, a member of the governments advisory committee.

The panel of experts was only convened in March when the virus had already arrived in Chile, and the scientific community did not get its wish with regard to the data it wanted published. We must hope that this improves with the change of leadership.

Opposition politicians are considering a constitutional complaint against Maalich, a close friend of the president who survived a cabinet reshuffle a week before his resignation, alleging his complicity in the poor management of the pandemic. If upheld, he could be barred from holding public office for five years.

Santiago has been under quarantine for over a month, and concern has shifted to the cities of Valparaso and Via del Mar on Chiles central coastline, the countrys second largest population centre, which were placed under lockdown on Friday following a steady rise in cases.

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Chile's health minister quits over government response to Covid-19 - The Guardian

The chiefs of some of Britains leading charities have written to the prime minister to demand a green recovery from the coronavirus crisis, urging him to use economic rescue packages to build low-carbon infrastructure and spur the creation of long-term green jobs.

The group of 57 charities representing 22 million members called for any bailouts to be subject to strict conditions so that companies receiving state help in the Covid-19 crisis would have to meet low-carbon targets, and for all elements of any economic recovery package to be subject to a test to ensure they were in line with the UKs target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

They also want ministers to cancel, rather than suspend, the debts of developing countries struggling with the impact of Covid-19 and the climate crisis.

Charities including the Womens Institute, the National Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Oxfam and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) signed the letter, which comes after weeks in which ministers have made references to the need for a sustainable recovery, but without providing policy details.

We know a green recovery makes economic sense, and is supported here in the UK and overseas by leading businesses, academics, ministers and health representatives, said Tanya Steele, the chief executive of WWF UK, one of the organisers of the letter. What we urgently need to see now, and post-pandemic, is commitments from government on turning this into action.

The campaigners said investing in a green recovery could support at least 210,000 green jobs and bring benefits of 90bn a year, from economic rejuvenation and better health.

The charities include poverty campaigners and faith groups, as well as green pressure groups. Melissa Green, the general secretary of the Womens Institute (WI), said: WI members are clear that post-Covid-19 economic packages need to incorporate robust and ambitious green policies in order to get on track for net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner.

The charities join an increasing number of economists, health professionals, leading climate experts, developing countries and the governments own statutory advisers, who are all calling for a green recovery to lift countries out of recession and on to a low-carbon pathway.

Fossil fuel companies and high emitters such as airlines and carmakers have already benefited from billions in public finance from the recovery package, without green strings attached.

Carbon dioxide emissions, which plunged when lockdowns took effect, had since begun to rebound sharply, research found last week. Experts fear that without strong government interventions, the UK will return to business as usual with high carbon emissions, or that emissions could rise to levels above pre-lockdown levels, if people desert public transport in favour of driving their cars.

The UK is widely seen internationally as holding a particular responsibility for leading the world into a green recovery because the government will host the next vital UN climate summit. Called Cop26, and now postponed by a year to take place in Glasgow in November 2021, the conference is seen as the last chance for nations to get back on track to meet the goals of the Paris agreement and avoid catastrophic climate breakdown.

As host of Cop26, the UK government has an immense responsibility to lead the world to a green and just recovery, said Clara Goldsmith, the campaigns director for the Climate Coalition. This is the only way to build a resilient economic recovery which ensures we keep global heating to no more than 1.5C and supports the most vulnerable. We have one chance and we must not waste it.

Campaigners have been frustrated by the governments lack of any policy detail on the possibility of a green recovery, and the lack of any clear agenda for Cop26.

The best way to show this leadership [needed at Cop26] is to put resilience at the heart of our economic recovery by accelerating the transition to net zero, restoring nature and supporting the most vulnerable at home and overseas, wrote the charity leaders. It is time for decisive action.

The charities laid out a seven-point plan, similar in content to the advice given by economic experts and the Committee on Climate Change, the statutory body that advises ministers on meeting the UKs carbon targets. Their demands include: new public investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy and zero-carbon transport; setting up a climate infrastructure bank; trade deals that support British farming, to ensure greater protection for nature; ending fossil fuel finance, in the UK and overseas; helping to halt the decline of biodiversity around the world.

They also called for a new government committee, led by a minister, to work with civil society groups on delivering a green recovery.

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Leading UK charities urge PM to demand a green Covid-19 recovery - The Guardian