Matt Hancock calls for ‘urgent review’ into England coronavirus deaths tally July 17, 2020 Health secretary Matt Hancock has called for an “urgent” review into an official tally of coronavirus deaths that has been revealed to include people dying of other causes. Public Health England (PHE) included people who tested positive for Covid-19 but died from other causes in its stats of coronavirus deaths in the country, the Evening [...]
England lockdown: Guidance on public transport and workplaces to be relaxed July 17, 2020 From 1 August employers will be asked to decide on whether to bring staff back to workplaces after the coronavirus lockdown, Boris Johnson announced today. Restrictions on public transport will also be lifted from today, he said, with anybody now allowed to use any method of travel they wish. Speaking at a press conference, the [...]
Boris Johnson says England will move to local coronavirus lockdowns July 17, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said councils and the central government will be able to implement local lockdowns to tackle coronavirus outbreaks in a major shift in policy. “From tomorrow, local authorities will have new powers in their areas,” Johnson said. “They will be able to close specific premises, shut local outdoor spaces and cancel [...]
Angela Merkel lowers hopes as talks start over €750bn EU Covid fund July 17, 2020 European Union leaders face “very, very difficult” negotiations over a €750bn coronavirus bailout fund, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned ahead of the start of talks today. EU heads of state today go into the first in-person leaders’ meeting for five-months to try to thrash out a deal over a huge fund that could kickstart [...]
Government reviewing response to ‘unacceptable’ Russia hack, says minister July 17, 2020 The UK is reviewing its response to Russian-backed attempts to steal coronavirus vaccine research, security minister James Brokenshire said this morning. Yesterday the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued a statement in conjunction with counterparts in the US and Canada saying that hacking group Cozy Bear had been attempting to steal Covid-19 research from institutions [...]
PM set to unveil ‘lightning lockdowns’ and £3bn Covid cash for NHS July 17, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to give local councils the capacity to implement “lightning lockdowns” without first notifying the government when he gives a major speech today. The PM is also set to announce more than £3bn extra funding for the NHS to ensure it can cope with a second peal of coronavirus cases [...]
Coronavirus: Boris Johnson to announce £3bn for NHS in second peak preparation July 16, 2020 Boris Johnson will announce more than £3bn in extra winter NHS funding tomorrow to prepare hospitals for a potential second peak of coronavirus. The Prime Minister will make the announcement at a press conference tomorrow, along with the news that the government will publish another chapter of its “roadmap” to exiting the Covid-19 lockdown. He [...]
Leicester lockdown to be eased on 24 July July 16, 2020 Leicester’s local lockdown will be eased on 24 July, after a drop in its coronavirus infection rate. Schools, early years child care and some non-essential retail shops will be allowed to reopen next week, but restaurants and pubs will remain closed. Restrictions on travel and meeting more than six people will also remain in place. [...]
Sir Patrick Vallance: UK coronavirus response has not achieved a good outcome July 16, 2020 The UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has not achieved a good outcome, according to chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance. Vallance told a parliamentary committee today that he thinks about why the UK has had so many deaths “a lot”, but added that the reason could be down to many factors. Vallance also said [...]
Privacy Shield ban ‘hurts’ UK’s chances of post-Brexit data deal July 16, 2020 Industry figures have warned that a decision today to ban Privacy Shield, a data-sharing deal between the EU and the US, will compromise the UK’s hopes of securing its own data-sharing agreement at the end of the Brexit transition period. Judges at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) today banned the Privacy Shield data-sharing agreement [...]