A West Midlands Police officer has been discharged from hospital 26 days after being admitted for Covid-19.

Ch Supt Phil Dolby, who was on a ventilator for weeks, tweeted his thanks to hospital staff.

Shropshire Star

From the Shropshire Star:

• Smoke fills the skies in hill fire, external
• Telford council answers 8,000 calls for help, external
• Lockdown will cost charities millions, external

BBC Politics

Supermarket and shop workers deserve to be paid a minimum of £10 an hour after coronavirus, a union leader has argued.

Image source, Reuters

Paddy Lillis, of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, said retail "heroes" should be rewarded for risking their health to keep people "fed and watered".

He predicted a post-crisis "day of reckoning" on pay and conditions.

But the British Retail Consortium said now was "not the right time" to ask for a wage increase.

It added that, across the retail sector, footfall - the number of people visiting shops - had suffered its "worst ever decline" in March.

The government thanked "all those working tirelessly in our supermarkets to make sure the public can continue to access essential goods".

Former Coventry City goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has been taking calls from fans and offering them mental health advice.

The 38-year-old struggled with anxiety and depression later in his career and said the issues people were facing during the coronavirus lockdown were similar to those he faced when he retired from the game.

Image source, Getty Images

Kirkland said he thought the uncertainty over how long the crisis would last was the biggest issue.

BBC News Technology

Facebook is to begin asking selected UK users whether they have had symptoms of Covid-19 later.

Image source, Facebook

It is part of a joint effort with Carnegie Mellon University to track the spread of the disease.

Facebook said it would not have access to users’ health data but would simply pass it on to CMU.

One expert said data from the surveys would be useful to scientists but probably not, on its own, reveal much about the disease.

BBC Weather

We're forecast another sunny day across the West Midlands, with blue skies and temperatures up to 20C (68F).

And we're expecting more of the same for the rest of the week, with temperatures set to rise even higher.

Image source, Dammo

There have been 54 reports of illegal pub lock-ins reported in Stoke-on-Trent since lockdown began.

The city council said they related to 31 pubs, but none had been caught breaching the rules.

Image source, Getty Images

Landlords have been warned they could lose their licence if found in breach.

Updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news from across the North West of England on Wednesday 22 April.

Coventry Live

From the Coventry Telegraph:

• Latest improvements to city centre unveiled, external
• Arsonist sets fire to car on driveway, external
• Hunt for wanted man, external

Refuse collectors are seeing a huge increase in the amount of rubbish being left out.

Veolia said household waste had increased by 27% and garden waste by nearly 200%, with people forced to stay at home.

The company is still collecting garden waste in Shropshire and said it was able to cope, but warned the pressure on its collectors is increasing.

West Midlands Police expects to lose more than £3.3m due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It's losing £500,00 because of not being needed at football matches or airports and also has had to spend £1m on personal, protective equipment for officers out working.

Image source, Getty Images

Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said the cost of officers working from home was also a big factor.

A government debate on flooding in Worcestershire has been postponed again.

The discussion was due to be held last month but was held up when parliament rose early for Easter because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The debate had been rearranged to take place this week, but with Westminster business being cut back as part of the lockdown, it's been further delayed.

Follow the latest developments on the pandemic from across the region.

Children create 280 flags to hang outside Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, Worcestershire.

In order to protect loved ones, some NHS staff are living away from home while they care for patients.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Work to revamp Coventry city centre that was put on hold last month because of coronavirus has resumed.

The programme at Hertford Street, Coventry Point, Upper Precinct and Coventry Station is to get Coventry ready for its City of Culture celebrations next year.

Image source, LDRS

Council cabinet member for jobs and regeneration Jim O’Boyle said those involved would take care, adding: “Life goes on and the economic industries of this city are really important, so anything we can do to help that we will do.”

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has called for members of the public to wear masks or cover their face when they leave their homes to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

Image source, Getty Images

Mr Rotheram backed London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s call for people to wear masks, which is currently not a government recommendation.

He said masks would not stop all spread of the virus but encouraged people to take all the steps they can to limit infection.

The advice currently issued by the government is that there is no strong evidence that wearing them in public lowers the spread of infection.

The mayor said wearing a mask was "common practice in certain parts of Asia and we’ve seen major cities like New York and countries across Europe also back this approach".

He added:

His call comes on the day that hospital bosses warned NHS supplies of face masks could be put at risk if the government starts advising the public to wear them.

Messages of thanks have been painted on to roads near hospitals in Whitchurch and Gobowen in Shropshire.

And in Shrewsbury this evening, the road entrance to Shrewsbury Hospital is set to be decorated with a thank you message and rainbow heart by Shropshire Council.

Image source, Shropshire Council

Neighbouring Telford and Wrekin Council has already painted the entrance to The Princess Royal Hospital.

AceOn Group says it had approached government last week offering supplies of gowns, masks and gloves.

John Bray
BBC News

An 18-year-old university art student has painted the side of a pub in her home village in support of the NHS.

Davina Dickson is studying at the University of Wolverhampton and was asked by Ally Heath, landlady of The Star in Penkridge, Staffordshire, to create the artwork.

Image source, Davina Dickson

Davina said: “I’ve never done a piece that big before and I’m pleased with how it’s turned out.”

“It took me eight hours to complete on Sunday and it’s to say a big thank you to the NHS.”

Image source, Davina Dickson