Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RATIONING!
» Sales restricted as 3rd UK victim dies » Crisis meeting while Italy in lockdown
TESCO is rationing baked beans and pasta after coronavirus panic-buyers emptied shelves.
It comes as a third victim has died in the UK while five new cases were reported in Northern Ireland.
Up to 16 million have been quarantined in Italy. PM Boris Johnson is chairing a COBRA meeting today.
Tesco’s lead on food, but Waitrose and Asda are limiting anti-bacterial gels to two per customer. Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and
Ocado have no restrictions on any products. Lidl did not comment. With some vulnerable shoppers missing out on essentials, panic buyers were blasted for not thinking of others.
Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden said: “Turns out we are a selfish lot.”
And Dr Andrew Potter, a logistics expert at Cardiff Business School, insisted there was no reason to fear products would run out for long.
He said: “Whilst there might be empty shelves, over the next week or so, we will see them replenish.”
Department of Health figures shows a rise from 206 to 273 UK cases, in the largest daily jump so far.
Despite the Cheltenham case being confirmed, about 250,000 people will descend on the town for the four-day festival.
Chief Medical Officer Prof Chris Whitty said the person was receiving “all necessary support from Public Health England who are contacting people who may have had close contact with the case”.
But governing bodies for other sports and TV broadcasters were set to attend an emergency meeting today with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to discuss contingency plans.
They will examine whether other large events should be held behind closed doors if the situation worsens.
There are suggestions Premier League matches could then be shown for free on subscription TV channels.
Pub landlords meanwhile could be asked not to show games to deter fans from congregating together.
Italy, Europe’s worst-hit country, has already decided to hold all its sporting
contests in empty stadiums for the next month. Yesterday broadcasters here said they were “prepared to listen” to what the Government has to say about a similar move in the UK.
Meanwhile there is growing concern for the cruise passengers on the Grand Princess in California.
After being barred from returning to San Francisco last week, the liner docked at nearby Oakland yesterday.
But the PM was urged to intervene on behalf of British passengers who are being forced to stay on board.
Worried Michelle Bissell, whose mum Jackie took the cruise to celebrate her 70th birthday, said: “I want Boris to get involved now.
“My mum has been told the Americans are going to leave. She hasn’t been outside for three days, the food is inedible now and I’m really quite concerned.”
The global number of confirmed coronavirus cases stands at over 109,000 with more than 3,800 deaths.
Europe’s Central Bank has told most of its 3,500 staff to work from home today to test how it could cope if the crisis worsens on the Continent.
But in a glimmer of hope the mayor of Daegu, South Korea’s worst hit city, said the outbreak there may be slowing after the number of new cases fell to its lowest in 10 days.