COVID-19: UK sets up new insurance scheme for NHS medics’ families

London, Apr 27 (PTI) UK on Monday anunced a 60,000-pound insurance scheme for families of National Health Service workers who lose ir lives on frontlines of fighting coronavirus pandemic, which has killed 21,092 people in country.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who anunced Life Assurance Scheme at daily Downing Street briefing, said that while amount of money can replace loss of a loved one, government's effort was to do "everything that we can" to support families dealing with bereavement.

"I feel a deep personal sense of duty that we must care for ir loved ones," minister said.

"As a government, we are looking closely at or professions that work on frontline against coronavirus, who also do t have access to such schemes, to see where this may be required," he ded.

briefing on Monday marked first time that a question from a member of public, chosen independently through a polling ncy, was re out ahe of usual journalists' questions directed at minister and professor Chris Whitty, UK's Chief Medical Officer, and Sir Patrick Vallance, government's Chief Scientific viser.

question asked if being able to hug a close family member would be one of first steps out of lockdown, and was answered by all three as something government hopes to move towards as risk of infection reduces.

"It is important that people who are vulnerable continue to be protected even after next steps occur," said Whitty.

He also indicated that lower rate of daily death toll hike, which was up 360 from Sunday's figure, could be an "artificial drop" due to lower tification rates from UK hospitals over weekend.

As number of hospitalisations continued a downward trend, government said that some of or NHS medical services, which h been paused due to coronavirus outbreak, will be restored from Tuesday.

"As number of hospitalisations from coronavirus begins to fall, I can anunce that, starting tomorrow, we will begin restoration of or NHS services - starting with most urgent, like cancer care and mental health support," said Hancock.

latest update came as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson took charge at 10 Downing Street earlier on Monday after returning from his COVID-19 convalescence from Chequers, his countryside retreat in Buckinghamshire over weekend.

He dressed nation from podium outside his office in London to warn British public that period of "maximum risk" h t been passed and urged for furr patience with strict social distancing measures. PTI AK MRJ MRJ