UK will not issue vaccine passports, says Nadhim Zahawi February 7, 2021 The UK will not be issuing vaccine passports to allow people who have had Covid jabs to travel, according to vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi. The Times reported on Friday that the government would implement Covid vaccine passports in time for summer, however Zahawi categorically denied the report today. Speak to Sky News, he said: “One, [...]
Government to invest £40m in helping businesses reduce carbon footprint February 6, 2021 The government is set to invest £40m in helping polluting industries reduce their carbon footprint as the Prime Minister attempts to cozy up to US President Joe Biden’s new green agenda. Businesses in Britain’s energy-intensive sectors, including pharmaceuticals, steel, paper and food and drink, will be able to apply for their share of the cash [...]
Pubs and restaurants could reopen in April without alcohol February 6, 2021 Pubs and restaurants could reopen as soon as April on the condition that they agree not to sell alcohol, according to reports. Ministers are considering a a temporary “booze ban” as part of the government’s roadmap for lifting lockdown set to be unveiled on 22 February, the Telegraph reported. Scientists are understood to be concerned that [...]
Ministers to seize control of the NHS in sweeping reforms February 6, 2021 Ministers will take direct control of the NHS amid ongoing frustration at its performance during the pandemic, marking the biggest reform for the health service for a decade. The plans are understood to have begun before the 2019 election, but have been accelerated amid mounting frustration from Number 10 over the state of the health [...]
Majority of adults in UK to be offered Covid vaccine by May February 5, 2021 Most adults in the UK will receive a Covid vaccine by the end of May, according to a senior government adviser, in a major boost for hopes of a return to normality by the summer. Samuel Kasumu, a senior adviser to the Prime Minister on ethnic minorities, revealed the target in a resignation letter leaked [...]
Government orders 50m doses of CureVac vaccine for new Covid mutations February 5, 2021 The government has signed a deal with German biotech firm CureVac for 50m doses of a new vaccine being developed to tackle emerging Covid mutations. The deal will see CureVac create “new varieties of vaccines based on messenger RNA technology to be developed quickly against new strains of Covid-19 if they are needed”, the Department [...]
Bring your own pen: England’s local elections to go ahead in May February 5, 2021 England will go ahead with local elections on 6 May despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the government confirmed on Friday. A range of additional measures will be put in place to safeguard voters and make the process more flexible. The elections, which decide hundreds of local government positions across England, had been under review due to [...]
Covid-19 variants: could mutations prolong the pandemic? February 5, 2021 The end is in sight. Isn’t it? The cautious optimism of vaccination programmes made the final curtain of the Covid-19 pandemic visible for the first time. Concern is growing, however, after Public Health England announced it is investigating cases with “worrying” new genetic changes found in regions of the UK. Cases in Liverpool and Bristol [...]
UK government will ‘help facilitate’ vaccine passports, says minister February 5, 2021 The UK government will “help facilitate” vaccine passports with other countries as part of plans for Europe to return to normality, the Foreign Office minister has said. The Times reported this morning that British officials have started working on an official certification system after Greece said it would waive quarantine rules for tourists able to [...]
Government faces backlash over ‘half-baked’ hotel quarantine plans February 5, 2021 Ministers have faced a deluge of backlash over “half-baked” plans to introduce a mandatory hotel quarantine for arrivals to the UK, with some MPs calling the scheme “too little too late”. The Prime Minister earlier this week said the government was drawing up plans to introduce a mandatory 10-night hotel quarantine on arrivals to Britain [...]