THE VIRUS IN BRIEF

THE lockdown means a herd of goats has been able to inhabit a deserted seaside town.

The animals usually only appear in the depths of winter when food is particularly scarce. But they have been taking advantage of the empty roads in Llandudno, north Wales, to munch on gardens.

Local resident Andrew Stuart, who took a snap, inset, quipped that he’d called cops because the mountain goats were breaking the “no gatherings” rule. They were having “a midnight feast” on hedges, he tweeted, adding: “I’m sorry if they got arrested. But they were being very naughty.”

WORKERS are missing banter and colleagues the most during the lockdown, a survey shows.

Four in 10 of people quizzed said not being able to share jokes or mickey-taking was the worst thing about being stuck at home.

An equal number said the thing they disliked the most was not being able to see their workmates.

By contrast, fewer than one in 10 were sorry to miss their daily commute and just eight per cent hated said they hated missing out on gossip.

Other longed-for aspects of working life included routine, collaboration and bouncing ideas around.Vodafone UK, which ran the survey, said workers were adapting to new ways with “minimal disruption”.

A DONATION of 100,000 facemasks, sanitisers and plastic gloves means a coronavirus testing centre can open a week early.

Karen Betts, 52, a medical tattooist for facially disfigured people, was forced to close her business. But she did not want the equipment to sit unused. It means testing can start at Oaks Park Primary Care Centre, in Barnsley.

Karen, pictured, who started her business after she helped a friend with breast cancer, said: “Donating this stock will impact my business... but I felt it was my duty to do everything I could to help in this crisis.”

BUS firms are to get hundreds of millions of pounds to help cope with a dramatic loss of passengers.

Officials estimate there has been a 78 per cent fall in the number of bus journeys made in England due to measures to fight the epidemic.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is to set out details of the Treasury package in the next few days.

He told Sky News: “It is quite clear we need to have the buses up and running. Buses actually carry the majority of people using public transport – 55 per cent use the buses.”

The Local Government Association has warned that vital bus, tram and light rail services may not survive without emergency funding.

A six-month bailout for the railways has already been announced.