Coronavirus testing expanded to all essential workers April 23, 2020 All the UK’s essential workers will be able to request a coronavirus test from tomorrow as the government tries to hit its target of administering 100,000 tests by next Thursday. Health secretary Matt Hancock said at today’s press briefing that essential workers “will be able to book an appointment for themselves directly” on a government [...]
Daily UK coronavirus deaths drop to 616 April 23, 2020 The daily UK coronavirus death toll has dropped to 616, according to the latest figures. The figures mark a decrease from the 759 deaths reported yesterday, and take the total to 18,738. Daily deaths have gradually fallen over the last couple of days, with 823 announced on Tuesday. It comes after health secretary Matt Hancock [...]
UK less than a quarter of the way to 100,000 coronavirus tests target April 23, 2020 The government has reached less than a quarter of target of 100,000 daily coronavirus tests target with just one week to go until the deadline. There were 22,814 Covid-19 tests administered in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday, which is well short of health secretary Matt Hancock’s target of 100,000 tests a day by the [...]
Pressure grows from backbench Tory MPs to ease coronavirus lockdown April 23, 2020 Backbench Conservative MPs have begun to speak out about the length of the UK’s coronavirus lockdown, warning that prolonged social distancing measures will have irreparable damage on the economy. Several Tory MPs raised concerns about the prolonged lockdown in a Westminster select committee hearing this morning, with one warning that many businesses are “on the [...]
UK to raise £225bn from bond sales to fund coronavirus measures April 23, 2020 The UK government is planning a huge increase in bond sales to fund its economic response to the coronavirus, selling roughly four times as much debt over the next three months than originally planned in the March Budget. The Treasury said it will try to raise £180bn from investors in the bond markets over the [...]
Mass coronavirus testing study launched to determine immunity levels April 23, 2020 Around 20,000 households in England will take part in the first stage of a coronavirus testing study to determine the spread of Covid-19 and the level of immunity in the general population, the government has announced. The study, which will test up to 300,000 people overall over 12 months, will include antibody testing of around [...]
Chris Whitty: Social distancing measures likely in place until next year April 22, 2020 There is only an “incredibly small probability” of a coronavirus vaccine being available for public use or a full lifting of social distancing restrictions in the next calendar year, according to the UK’s chief medical officer. Professor Chris Whitty said at today’s Covid-19 press conference that Britons should be prepared for some form of social [...]
UK banks slammed by Tory backbencher for not acting in national interest April 22, 2020 The UK’s banking sector has been criticised for not working in the national interest as some banks move to rapidly raise overdraft interest fees. Tory backbencher Peter Bone slammed the nation’s banks at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) for hiking interest rates on overdrafts while many struggle during the coronavirus crisis. Some banks have increased [...]
Exclusive: Growing divide in Boris Johnson’s Brexit unit over trade deal extension April 22, 2020 There is a growing divide in opinion within the government’s Brexit trade deal negotiating unit over whether to seek an extension to the 31 December deadline during the coronavirus crisis. Civil servants are increasingly frustrated that the government refuses to countenance the idea of an extension, while political appointees are keen to press home the [...]
UK coronavirus outbreak has reached peak, says health secretary Matt Hancock April 22, 2020 Health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed today that that the UK coronavirus outbreak has reached its peak. Speaking in the House of Commons today, Hancock confirmed that the pandemic had hit its peak in the UK and that new cases were starting to drop. “As we reach – have reached the peak – and as we [...]