Sadiq Khan: London needs post-war plan for Covid recovery February 1, 2021 A post-war-style programme is needed to breathe life back into London following the Covid-19 pandemic, mayor Sadiq Khan said today. The mayor said the government had to accept that London was the “country’s biggest asset”, adding that “ministers can’t take for granted that once restrictions are lifted things will simply return to normal”. He called [...]
Coronavirus: Employers cannot require staff to have the Covid-19 vaccine February 1, 2021 As the number of people in the UK who have received a Covid-19 vaccine slowly approaches the 9m, the biggest vaccination programme in British history is gathering pace. Prime minister Boris Johnson has pledged that the most vulnerable will all have had their jab by mid-February, with the rest of the country to follow before [...]
After Brexit border backdown, the EU in new push with Astrazeneca to get more vaccine deliveries February 1, 2021 Talks between Astrazeneca and the European Commission will continue, despite strains, so that the bloc can recieve more of the pharmaceutical's Covid-19 vaccine before the end of March.
Covid testing push in Surrey after South African variant found with no travel links February 1, 2021 Residents in Woking, Surrey will be offered coronavirus tests after two people in the community tested positive for the South African variant, with no travel links to South Africa. Households in the Goldsworth Park and St Johns areas of Woking will be visited and requested to carry out a Covid-19 test – regardless of whether [...]
UK orders 100m doses of Valneva’s Covid-19 vaccine ahead of clinical approval February 1, 2021 French vaccine manufacturer Valneva said this morning that the government has ordered an additional 40m doses of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate, boosting vaccine orders to 100m. Lined up for 2022, the additional vaccines should provide a buffer, particularly if any of the population require revaccination. Interim chair of government’s vaccines taskforce Clive Dix said: “The [...]
Central London’s economy hit hardest by Covid as tourist spending plummets £10bn February 1, 2021 Research published by Sadiq Khan shows central London’s economy has been hit hardest by Covid-19, largely due to home working and a sharp drop in tourism. Tourism spending fell by £10.9bn in 2020 compared to the year before, with more than 26,000 jobs at risk in arts and culture alone and the night-time economy also [...]
Nintendo profits soar as home gaming booms in 2020 February 1, 2021 Video game giant Nintendo saw its profit almost double in 2020 as the world played games at home during the pandemic. The Japanese company said its April to December profit surged to 376.6bn yen ($3.6bn) from 196bn yen in 2019. It reported more than a 10 per cent rise in its Switch games console sales [...]
TSB reports losses as pandemic prompts lending surge February 1, 2021 TSB’s full-year financial performance was dented by the coronavirus pandemic as lending rose sharply, the bank announced today. Statutory loss before tax was £204.6m in 2020, compared to a £46m profit in 2019. The losses largely reflects the adoption of government measures in response to Covid-19, as well as unemployment rates and reduced customer spending. [...]
EU rows back on Irish border vaccine controls January 30, 2021 The European Union amended its controversial measures seeking to limit exports to Northern Ireland on Friday evening. The bloc had moved to restrict exports of vaccines into Northern Ireland by overriding parts of the Brexit deal, sparking widespread anger from politicians in Belfast, after an escalation in the vaccine row. Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster described the move [...]
EU approves Astrazeneca vaccine for all over-18s January 29, 2021 The EU drugs regulator has approved the use of the Astrazeneca Covid vaccine for all people over the age of 18. The green light from the European Medicines Agency means Astrazeneca vaccine is the third to be approved by the EU, after those developed by Pfizer/Biontech and Moderna. The move follows an increasingly bitter dispute [...]