Five Positive Things That Happened This Week

Originally posted on CoronaUnity.

During times of fear and uncertainty, the very best in humanity is exposed. The situation is constantly changing around the world, and people are demonstrating the power of kindness. Here are five positive news stories that happened in the past week! 

OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE RECOVERED

According to the World O Meter, over 800,000 people have recovered from the coronavirus.  That’s over almost a third of all confirmed cases. Spain has reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths in over a month with children being allowed outside for the first time in six weeks. Laws across Europe are beginning to relax, with the Czech Republic now allowing ten people to meet up in public.

DOGS TO HELP WITH CORONAVIRUS TESTING

Scientists at Durham University and The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are trying to establish whether dogs can detect the coronavirus in people. They have previously been used to successfully discover cancer and malaria. If the trial is successful, then dogs will start working at places like airports and reportedly be able to screen 750 people an hour, according to the BBC. 

BBC’S BIG NIGHT IN RAISED £27M

As part of a three-hour BBC charity marathon, The Big Night In brought together Comic Relief and Children in Need for a special fundraiser on Thursday 23rd April. It featured Prince William, Stephen Fry, Judi Dench, Dawn French and many other celebrities. They raised an impressive £27m for the National Emergencies Trust, with donations ongoing.

POTENTIAL VACCINE HUMAN TRIALS

The University of Oxford has begun testing a potential coronavirus vaccine using human trials, having already developed a successful vaccine against Mers (a coronavirus related symptom). The study has more than 800 volunteers, with the UK Government pledging £20m to support the research. A further trial will be started at Imperial College, and a large trial of 5,000 volunteers will start in the coming months. 

CELEBRITY TEACHERS

To assist parents struggling with homeschooling during lockdown, the BBC has enlisted famous experts to deliver courses to children. The celebrities are collaborating with over 200 teachers around the country to make sure that education will not suffer because of the lockdown. Celebrities such as Sir David Attenborough, Liam Payne and footballer Sergio Ageuro have volunteered with the BBC to deliver Bitesize lessons.