Covid-19: Global vaccination tally passes confirmed cases February 3, 2021 The number of global Covid-19 vaccinations has surpassed the tally of confirmed cases for the first time, marking a landmark moment in efforts to fight the virus. The total number of jabs administered reached 104m today, while the number of confirmed cases was just over 103m, according to the Financial Times vaccine tracker. With lockdown [...]
Glaxo shares slip after it reports sales dip and Covid vaccine variant deal February 3, 2021 Glaxo shares tumble after it reports drop in sales and vaccine partnership
Boris Johnson: Hotel quarantine for arrivals to UK to be outlined tomorrow February 3, 2021 Ministers will provide further details on the UK’s hotel quarantine policy tomorrow, the Prime Minister has announced. Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Boris Johnson said the health secretary would set out the government’s plan for introducing a mandatory 10-day quarantine on arrivals to the UK from 30 countries. Johnson announced the measures last [...]
10m people in UK have now received first dose of Covid vaccine February 3, 2021 Ten million people in Britain have now received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, the health secretary has announced, in a major boost for hopes of a return to normality. Matt Hancock took to Twitter this afternoon to announce the “hugely significant milestone in our national effort against this virus”. “Every jab makes us [...]
Stamp duty holiday costs government more than £500m in lost taxes February 3, 2021 The government lost out on more than half a billion pounds in taxes due to the stamp duty holiday, according to the latest figures. Data from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) showed that overall stamp duty land tax receipts fell 16 per cent to £2.76bn in the fourth quarter of last year, compared to £3.29bn [...]
Astrazeneca to roll out ‘next generation’ vaccine for Covid mutations by autumn February 3, 2021 Astrazeneca aims to produce a “next generation” Covid-19 vaccine especially suited to new mutations as soon as the autumn, a senior executive said today. Mene Pangalos, a senior research chief at the British-Swedish firm, said Astrazeneca will start developing a new vaccine for the mutated strains and will look to make them public “as rapidly [...]
Test and Trace is failing to persuade 20,000 people to self-isolate each day, Dido Harding admits February 3, 2021 Around 20,000 people each day who should be self-isolating are not being convinced to do so by the government’s NHS Test and Trace scheme, chief executive Baroness Dido Harding has admitted. Facing a grilling from the Commons science and technology committee, Harding said that based on last week’s Test and Trace figures “circa 20,000 people [...]
Covid antibodies last at least six months after infection February 3, 2021 Coronavirus antibodies last for at least six months after infection for almost all people who have had the virus, according to a new study. A wide-scale study, by medical database UK Biobank, found that 99 per cent of participants who tested positive for coronavirus retained antibodies for at least three months, while 88 per cent [...]
Ryanair ‘jab & go’ ads deemed ‘misleading’ by watchdog February 3, 2021 The advertising watchdog has banned Ryanair from airing its controversial “jab & go” advert, in ruling published today. The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) said it had received 2,370 complaints over the advert – the third most for any single ad. ASA said that the campaign, which encouraged people to book flights with Ryanair after getting [...]
Half of medium-sized businesses on the brink as lockdown restrictions continue February 3, 2021 Nearly half (49 per cent) of medium-sized businesses have warned they could cease trading in less than two months if coronavirus restrictions do not ease. The national lockdown is taking a major toll on businesses, with many fearing the worst if the restrictions continue. If the current national lockdown lasts until April, more than eight [...]