KentOnline

Political editor Paul Francis and Oliver Kemp discuss local council’s work to encourage social distancing, stranded UK holidaymakers across the world and Cineworld employees asking for support after being sacked.
They also try to get to grips with recording the podcast from their separate homes whilst practising social distancing.

Help is being made available to businesses during the coronavirus outbreak while shops are putting on special opening hours for older residents to get supplies.
Meantime, there are concerns about workers in care homes and you can let us know how life has changed – contact details at the end of the podcast.

As the coronavirus outbreak continues – we’re looking at the impact it’s having here in Kent…
Over the weekend, the health secretary confirmed the over 70s and other vulnerable people could be told to self isolate.
Hear from Age UK in Canterbury, a Kent athlete who says he could struggle to pay the bills and find out how church services in the county are being adapted.
Also in the podcast, a railway line has reopened following a major landslide before Christmas.

The government has now moved to the so-called delay phase of its plan to tackle the outbreak.
As a result, people with signs of the infection – like a persistent cough or a fever – will be urged to stay home for a week.
There are currently 11 confirmed cases in Kent and Medway – and we’re starting to hear how it’s affecting the county with events being cancelled.
Businesses have also started to reveal how they’re being hit by the virus.

The KentOnline podcasters are back to talk through the latest political developments affecting the county.
Political editor Paul Francis and Oliver Kemp discuss the Chancellor’s 2020 budget dominated by coronavirus, the potential for the Police and Crime Commissioner elections to be delayed and Kent County Council moving home after more than a century.
Paul also explains ‘fruitless payments’ in the jargon phrase of the week.

Coronavirus has dominated the new Chancellor’s budget today.
Rishi Sunak has only been in the job for 27 days.
He’s announced a £30 billion package to help the economy cope with the outbreak and an emergency response fund of £5 billion for the health service’s fight against Covid-19.
Also in today’s episode, fears the outbreak could affect the tourism industry and more tributes are paid following a headteacher’s sudden death.

There’s shock today after the headteacher of a trust that runs three schools around Maidstone died suddenly from a heart attack at the age of just 45.Darren Webb was in charge of the Coppice Primary Partnership which runs Coxheath, Loose and St Katherine’s primaries.Also in today’s podcast: find out how was can stop the spread of fake news about the coronavirus online, and has the money spent on Brexit so far been worth it?
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/

Today we’re looking at how the coronavirus is continuing to affect the county, and what precautions we can take to stop it spreading.There are now six confirmed cases of Covid-19 – four in Kent and two in Medway.Also in today’s podcast: A court’s heard how a man was bludgeoned to death and his was body burned in Medway, hear from the drag queens who’re inspiring people in the LGBT community, and find out why the Gillingham manager is angry about the weekend’s result.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/

The headlines this week have been dominated by coronavirus after the first case was confirmed in Kent on Monday.
A man working for a company based at Maidstone studios was diagnosed after returning from Italy.
Also in today’s episode: It’s claimed women in part of Kent are having to put up with the biggest gender pay gap in the country, 120-thousand people went to visit the museum of the moon exhibition at Rochester Cathedral and a Kent athlete is getting her own Barbie doll.

Political editor Paul Francis and Oliver Kemp discuss the reaction to Kent’s first coronavirus case, accusations of bullying in government and a new development in the revival of Manston airport.
Paul also tries to explain what social distancing is in the jargon phrase of the week.