The COVID Diaries – 52 19th May
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned that we are facing a recession “the likes of which we haven’t seen”, after new figures showed a huge increase in unemployment due to the impact of the Covid-9 lockdown.
More than 2.1 million people made new benefit claims in April – the highest level since 1996. The chancellor also told parliament it was “not obvious that there will be an immediate bounce back” when the pandemic has passed.
Meanwhile in the Unites States Donald Trump has revealed he is taking malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to protect himself, despite warnings from his own government that it should only be administered for the new coronavirus in a hospital or research setting due to potentially fatal side effects. Trump has also threatened to permanently stop funding for the World Health Organisation (WHO).