20-second Covid test to be distributed across the UK and Europe March 26, 2021 A freshly approved and fully recyclable 20-second Covid-19 test is set to be distributed across the UK and Europe, London-based distribution company HISTATE has said this morning. The rapid test, known as Virolens, has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use and sale in the UK. The trials show [...]
EU will not be ‘blackmailed’ by UK over vaccines, says French minister March 26, 2021 The EU will not be “blackmailed” by the UK over Covid vaccine supplies, France’s foreign minister has said, as a cross-Channel dispute over coronavirus jabs continues to escalate. Jean-Yves Le Drian claimed the UK is set to run into “problems” because it has prioritised first doses of the jab, as he warned that Europe would [...]
Coronavirus latest updates: EU boosts vaccine supply; Norway halts Astrazeneca jab; London R rate rises March 26, 2021 EU boosts production of Covid vaccines The European Medicines Agency announced this afternoon that it has approved the use of two European factories to scale up the EU’s vaccine supply. The Halix factory in the Netherlands has been cleared to produce doses of the Astrazeneca vaccine for the EU, while another in Marburg in Germany [...]
Is your boss an introvert? Then working from home may be here to stay March 26, 2021 The majority of small businesses in the UK is run by introverts, and remote working as a result of the pandemic could be here to stay for many of their employees, according to a new study. From the roughly 1,000 business owners that were approached by Hitachi Capital Business Finance, just over two thirds, or [...]
UK R rate increases to between 0.7 to 0.9 March 26, 2021 The UK’s R number has risen slightly to a best estimate of between 0.7 and 0.9, though it remains below the crucial 1 threshold. The figure marks a marginal hike from last week, when scientists estimated that the R rate was between 0.6 and 0.9. The new R rate means that every 10 people infected [...]
EU approves use of Netherlands factory to produce Astrazeneca vaccine March 26, 2021 The EU medicines regulator has approved the use of a factory in the Netherlands for the production of Covid vaccines for Europe, despite the fact that it is currently being used to make jabs for the UK. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in statement it had cleared the Halix production site in the Netherlands [...]
Covid-19, a year on: the need for a more diverse UK economy March 26, 2021 In this series, City A.M. looks back at the last year of the pandemic and Covid restrictions and takes stock of its impact on industries and issues at the heart of British society. Read more: Read the full Covid-19, a year on series here. The UK’s economy was hit by a 10 per cent drop in GDP [...]
Scientists studying AstraZeneca vaccine as a nasal spray March 25, 2021 Scientists are to look into the effectiveness of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine when delivered using a nasal spray. The University of Oxford will examine the level of immune system responses generated by the vaccine using this delivery technique, as well as monitoring safety and for any adverse reactions. Thirty healthy Oxford-based volunteers aged 18-40 will receive [...]
MPs vote to extend emergency coronavirus powers for another six months March 25, 2021 MPs have voted to extend the government’s emergency Covid powers for a further six months. The 2020 Coronavirus Act was passed by 484 votes to 76, handing the government a majority of 408. It comes despite opposition from a group of rebel Tory backbenchers who argued that the extension could result in further lockdowns. The [...]
Corona Impact Series: How an immersive Hackney entertainer blurs pandemic boundaries March 25, 2021 In this series, City A.M. looks at the financial and economic impact of the ongoing pandemic on a range of small and medium-sized businesses across London. This week: How an immersive entertainment agency in Hackney was forced to switch from physical to virtual overnight, without losing any of the power of the experiences. “As Covid hit and the [...]