Global confirmed cases: 3,207,248; total deaths: 227,971 (JHU)

UK confirmed cases: 165,221; total deaths: 26,097 (DHSC)

Government “probably won’t” meet 100,000 daily coronavirus testing target for end of April, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland says

Prime Minister Boris Johnson to update country on “steps to defeat” COVID-19 at first daily briefing since returning to work

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca partners with Oxford University to help develop potential coronavirus vaccine

Yesterday was a bit of a pants day. Then I wrote the blog post, walked into the hall and noticed a lot of stuff in the porch. As well as making masks for them, I’m a drop off for what is now sew sussex – seamstresses supporting nhs & frontline and people had been dropping off without me really noticing. In fact yesterday the following had been dropped off:

• 10 scrub hats
• 10 scrub hats
• 14 hair bands
• 3 scrub sets
• 6 gowns

Five different people had spent time and used their own material stash (except for the NHS scrubs which have to be made using specific material), because they could. There’s a saying about how in any disaster you should look for the helpers to remember that there is good in the world too. I’d had five of them drop off at my door. And the group in total? Well, this is what we have made to date (well, four days ago):

• Hats 828
• Bags 1,232
• Gowns Children’s – 61
• Gowns Adult – 3
• Masks – 1185
• Headbands – 280
• Ribbon elastic holders for masks – 249
• Scrubs Full Sets – 321
• Scrub Tops – 12
• Scrub Trousers – 0
• Hearts – 128
• Lavender bags – 20

And they have been delivered to a number of individual requesters and:

• Conquest Hospital
• NHS Carers Lewis
• Grove Road Surgery Eastbourne
• Seaford Covid Hub
• Lewes Doctors
• NHS Carehome Eastbourne
• Peacehave Covid Hub and GPS
• Groombridge and Hartfield Medical Centre
• Eastbourne DGH wards
• Rural and Bexhill community nursing teams

It felt less pants after that.

So onto today when I’ve had photos from everyone and we’ve had a family call.

Sister 1 found a pink bluebell:

Mum and Dad are appreciating the first bloom on their clematis:

Sister 2 found a nurse in a phone box. (No, I have no idea either.)

Oh, and I did 30 minutes of Pog schooling with Little Pea! He read me a book then he answered questions about it and filled in a form Sister 1 had created to write it up:

I’m fully aware than 30 minutes is practically nothing compared to the hell parents are going through, but I did like being read to :o)

And then we had a family call. In which we realised it was the first time we’d all been together wearing glasses, so a family portrait was required:

Then it all just went a bit the way you’d expect:

But you know, it was nice to see each others walls / ceilings….

Stay safe, lovely people. x