THE GOOD NEWS DONATE-A-RIDE AND FREE TOILETRIES

♦ Social distancing is working. New research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has estimated that before the lockdown was introduced in the UK one positive person would infect 2.6 other people – now they infect 0.62.

♦ NHS Nightingale has officially opened at the EXCEL centre in East London. The 4,000-bed hospital, which was built with the assistance of the Army, will help reduce pressure on existing services.

♦ The public and businesses have donated over £100,000 in just a few hours to a Donate-a-ride scheme, which offers free trips to and from hospital to London’s front line NHS workers. ♦ Plans are afoot to broadcast a non-competitive replacement for the cancelled Eurovision Song Contest. The show will be broadcast on Youtube and is expected to last two hours. The singers are expected to perform an uplifting anticoronavirus tune.

♦ Japan’s Fujifilm has started clinical trials of its anti-flu drug Avigan in treating patients with coronavirus. Reports from China showed promising results.

♦ The AA has launched a free breakdown service for all NHS workers.

It is available to anyone with an NHS ID and includes free recovery to and from work as well as help if they break down at home.

♦a man with a 3D-printing hobby has created a production line for protective masks. Sid Lovatt from North Yorkshire has been creating masks and visors after receiving requests from care homes, GP surgeries and his local hospital.

♦ Boots UK is going to donate over 200,000 toiletries to vulnerable people and NHS workers to use between busy shifts. The donations will include hand cream, shower gel and toothpaste.