Coronavirus testing expanded to everyone over five with symptoms May 18, 2020 Everyone in the UK over the age of five with one of the three official coronavirus symptoms will be eligible for testing from today. Health secretary Matt Hancock made the announcement to the House of Commons this afternoon. It comes after loss of taste or smell, technically known as anosmia, was added to the official [...]
Covid-19: Global markets rise as Moderna reports positive vaccine results May 18, 2020 Global stocks pushed higher this afternoon after US biotech firm Moderna reported positive results from an early-stage human trial of its Covid-19 vaccine. The company’s vaccine, known as mRNA-1273, produced levels of virus-neutralising antibodies similar to those found in blood samples of recovered patients. As part of the study, all 45 participants were given three [...]
UK-US trade negotiations set for advanced talks in June May 18, 2020 Trade delegates from the UK and US governments will hold two virtual negotiating rounds next month, after the first formal round of talks between ended on Friday. The next round will see both sides start to introduce detailed proposals as they try to strike a “comprehensive trade deal…at an accelerated pace”, according to international trade [...]
More than £6bn paid out as part of self-employed relief package May 18, 2020 More than £6bn has been paid out to more than 2m of the UK’s self-employed workers under the government’s coronavirus support scheme. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the updated figure today and confirmed there would be no change to the scheme’s £50,000 cut-off. The scheme sees the government hand over a taxable grant worth 80 per [...]
Government to review 14-day quarantine plan every three weeks May 18, 2020 The government will review its 14-day quarantine measure for incoming travellers to the UK every three weeks, the prime minister’s spokesman has said. Speaking at a briefing for journalists, the spokesman said: “Any changes brought in will be subject to a rolling review every three weeks to ensure they are in line with the latest [...]
Landmark post-Brexit immigration bill returns to parliament May 18, 2020 The government’s landmark post-Brexit immigration bill will return to parliament today for its second reading before MPs. Under the new legislation, freedom of movement for EU citizens will cease, and will be replaced by a so-called points-based immigration system. Home secretary Priti Patel said that the bill would “give the UK full control of our [...]
Loss of smell officially added to UK’s list of coronavirus symptoms May 18, 2020 Loss of smell has been added to the UK’s official list of coronavirus symptoms by the government, with anyone experiencing this symptom now required to self-isolate. The government will advise today that anyone who experiences the symptom, which has the technical name of anosmia, will need to stay home for seven days, while people in [...]
Sadiq Khan calls for coronavirus inquiry into BAME deaths May 17, 2020 Sadiq Khan has called for a government inquiry into BAME deaths from coronavirus. Khan today called the higher rate of deaths among BAME ethnicities “shocking” and called for Boris Johnson to set up a public inquiry. Numbers published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this month revealed that black men and women were four-times [...]
Oxford University coronavirus vaccine trial strikes AstraZeneca distribution deal May 17, 2020 The government has given another £84m toward the UK’s two coronavirus vaccine trials as the Oxford University team has struck a licensing deal with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. The Oxford trial will get another £65.5m, while the Imperial College London trial will get another £18.5m. Business secretary Alok Sharma also announced at today’s press briefing that the [...]
Public trust in UK government’s coronavirus response continues to fall May 17, 2020 The public’s trust in the UK government’s coronavirus strategy is in freefall, according to the latest polling. An Opinium/Obsever poll out today shows the government now has a net -3 rating for how it has handled the coronavirus, after having a +60 rating in mid-March. A YouGov/Sky News poll out today also showed a -2 [...]