‘Missing’ sixth case of Brazil Covid mutation found in Croydon March 6, 2021 A mystery sixth person infected with a new Brazil coronavirus “variant of concern” has been found in Croydon, the health secretary has announced. Six cases of the new mutation, also known as the P1 variant or Manaus variant, had been identified across the UK. Three cases were linked to Scotland, while two out of three [...]
Matt Hancock: Vaccines are breaking the ‘unbreakable link’ between Covid cases and deaths March 5, 2021 The “unbreakable link” from Covid cases to hospitalisations and deaths is now being broken as Britain begins to emerge from the grips of the pandemic, the health secretary has said. Latest official data showed infections have fallen 34 per cent over the past week, as the UK makes rapid progress with the vaccine rollout. Speaking [...]
Business chiefs urge Boris Johnson to speed up return to office review March 5, 2021 The bosses of some of London’s top businesses have urged Boris Johnson to accelerate a review that will determine when people can return to the office. The government is set to carry out a review of Covid safety measures such as one-metre social distancing and mask-wearing that will pave the way for a return to [...]
Brits must prove flights are essential as government cracks down on illegal travel March 5, 2021 People wishing to leave the UK from Monday will have to prove their travel is essential, as the government attempts to crack down on illegal holidays in the run-up to leaving lockdown. Passengers will now be required to fill out a mandatory form listing their reasons for travel before leaving the country. Non-essential travel is [...]
Covid: UK R rate rises despite lockdown measures March 5, 2021 The UK’s R rate has crept up slightly, despite Covid cases falling to their lowest level since September amid nationwide lockdown measures, according to the latest official figures. The rate of reproduction of coronavirus now stands at 0.7 to 0.9, meaning every 10 people infected will likely infect between 7 and 9 other people. The [...]
France could block vaccine shipments over shortages, health minister says March 5, 2021 France has suggested the country could block exports of Covid-19 vaccines, the French health minister said this morning, echoing Italy’s move which stopped 250,000 vaccines from reaching Australia yesterday. Health minister Olivier Veran said France “could” follow Italy’s steps when ask by French broadcaster BFM TV. The minister added that France received 800,000 doses of [...]
Cyprus to allow vaccinated Brits in from May March 5, 2021 Cyprus said vaccinated British tourists will be allowed into the country from the start of May. However, international travel from the UK is currently banned until 17 May. The Cypriot government said yesterday they had told officials in Westminster that from May 1 tourists who have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine would not [...]
Test and Trace to receive extra £15bn, bringing total funding to £37bn March 4, 2021 The Test and Trace scheme is set to receive an extra £15bn, bringing its total funding over two years to £37bn. The contact tracing scheme, which has been awarded £22bn so far, will receive a further £15bn over the next financial year. The new figures were first revealed by the Huffington Post. It also revealed [...]
Pubs without beer gardens to serve pints in car parks from April March 4, 2021 Pubs without beer gardens will be able to serve takeaway pints in car parks when restrictions are eased in April, the government has confirmed. Licensing rules for pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants were simplified last summer to make it easier for businesses to reopen in line with Covid guidelines after England’s first nationwide lockdown. The Ministry of Housing, [...]
Italy blocks Astrazeneca shipment to Australia as vaccine shortage row escalates March 4, 2021 The Italian government has blocked the export of an Astrazeneca vaccine shipment to Australia as a row over EU shortages continues to escalate. Astrazeneca had requested permission from the Italian government to export around 250,000 vaccine doses made at its Anagni plant near Rome to Australia. However, Italian authorities blocked the request after the British-Swedish [...]