Councils running out of cash to support people forced to self-isolate December 10, 2020 People forced to self-isolate after coming into contact with coronavirus are being refused £500 support grants because local authorities are running out of money, England’s council chiefs have said. Councils were given £15m by the government in September to hand out £500 Test and Trace support payments to low-income individuals required to self-isolate and unable [...]
One in 10 British businesses think they will go bust in the next three months December 10, 2020 Twelve per cent of all businesses in the UK think they will buckle in the next three months, as tough coronavirus restrictions continue to weigh on the British economy. Around eight per cent of businesses currently trading have none or little confidence of surviving over the next three months, according to the latest figures from [...]
London ‘facing Tier 3 before Christmas’ as coronavirus cases hike in two-thirds of boroughs December 10, 2020 London risks being plunged into Tier 3 before Christmas as the latest official data showed infections are on the rise in two-thirds of boroughs. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan yesterday urged people in the capital to to “follow the rules” after Public Health England figures released earlier this week showed Covid-19 cases rising in 21 [...]
Ocado lifts full-year profit forecast following home delivery boom during pandemic December 10, 2020 Ocado has raised its full-year profit forecast after the online supermarket saw grocery sales boom during England’s second national lockdown. Revenue at Ocado Retail, the company’s joint venture with Marks & Spencer, surged 35 per cent in the three months to 29 November to almost £580m. The group said full-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation [...]
Covid-19 vaccine data ‘unlawfully accessed’ in cyberattack on EU regulator December 9, 2020 Regulation documents related to the Covid-19 vaccine it is developing with Pfizer were “unlawfully accessed” after a cyberattack on Europe’s medicines regulator, biotech firm BioNTech has said. The European Medicines Agency – which is responsible for assessing and approving medicines, medical devices and vaccines for the European Union – said earlier today it had been [...]
Canada becomes second country to approve Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine December 9, 2020 Canada has become the second country in the world, following the UK, to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, paving the way for distribution of shots to be delivered and administered across the country. Canada will start receiving its first doses of Pfizer’s vaccine before the end of December, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday. [...]
Sadiq Khan urges Londoners to ‘follow the rules’ to avoid Tier 3 before Christmas December 9, 2020 Sadiq Khan has urged millions of Londoners to “follow the rules” amid mounting fears the capital faces Tier 3 restrictions following a sharp spike in coronavirus cases. The mayor of London today issued a plea for people in the capital not to lower their “guard”, as he appealed for Londoners to follow the current Tier [...]
Regulators prohibit Pfizer vaccine for people with ‘significant’ allergies after two NHS staff suffer reactions December 9, 2020 Two NHS staff members who received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on the first day of Britain’s mass vaccination programme yesterday suffered an allergic reaction, NHS England has confirmed. UK regulators have now issued a warning that people who have a history of “significant” allergic reactions should not currently receive the Pfizer vaccine. This applies to people [...]
British American Tobacco lifts guidance after pandemic burn is less than feared December 9, 2020 British American Tobacco has raised its full-year revenue guidance after the hit to cigarette demand from the pandemic was less than feared. The world’s second-biggest cigarette maker, which owns brands such as Dunhill and Lucky Strike, said its revenue hit from the Covid-19 crisis will be 2.5 per cent, down from an earlier estimate of [...]
Use furlough scheme to help sick employees isolate, says think tank December 9, 2020 The government should use the furlough scheme to encourage more workers to self-isolate at home, as the current statutory sick pay regime does not go far enough. Self-isolating has continued to be a major factor used to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus throughout the pandemic, with all those with coronavirus symptoms urged to [...]