Analysis: Which demographics are still dying of Covid-19 the most? September 10, 2021 The UK’s immunisation programme is well underway, with 80.4 per cent of the population over the age of 16 receiving their second dose as of today, according to official government data. Despite immunisation rates steadily increasing, the number of deaths in the week to 27 August jumped 17.8 per cent to 649 across the country, [...]
PCR test providers need more regulation, says competition watchdog September 10, 2021 The UK’s competition watchdog has warned that greater regulation of the PCR Covid testing market is required amid fears that competition alone “will not deliver the right outcomes for consumers”. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that without such provisions, testing firms could begin to compete on grounds other than quality, leading to a [...]
Biden to announce all federal workers must be vaccinated September 9, 2021 US President Joe Biden is set to require all federal employees and government contractors to be vaccinated against coronavirus. Biden will sign an executive order on Thursday that will require federal workers to receive jabs against Covid-19, a source briefed on the matter told news agency Reuters. The Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans [...]
UK holidaymakers paid ‘more than £1bn’ on travel tests this summer September 9, 2021 UK holidaymakers could have paid more than £1bn for Covid tests this summer, a crippling levy that has kept the lid on the travel and aviation sector’s recovery. Research from the Evening Standard suggests that 5m passengers have taken a total of 11.5m PCR tests in the period from May to September. With each test [...]
Janet Yellen: US Treasury is in danger of running out of cash in October September 9, 2021 Janet Yellen has warned the US Treasury is in danger of running out of cash in October unless Congress raises the debt ceiling, as the government walks on a tight rope to avoid a possible US default. In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers yesterday, the Treasury secretary said a “specific [...]
Boris Johnson: ‘Concerning’ number of unvaccinated Covid patients in hospital September 8, 2021 The Prime Minister has said he is concerned by the number of unvaccinated people being hospitalised with coronavirus. Three quarters of those hospitalised had not had a Covid jab, Boris Johnson told the BBC, in an interview at St Thomas’ Hospital, London. Johnson’s message to the unvaccinated was “come on now,” as he urged people [...]
AI-driven pharmatech firm agrees $70m partnership with Gates foundation September 8, 2021 AI-driven drug company Exscientia has agreed a $70m partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop virus treatments. The Oxford-based company and non-profit foundation will work on coronaviruses at first before expanding to develop therapeutics for influenza and Nipah virus. The partnership will develop small molecule therapeutics that are less susceptible to variants. [...]
WHO boss: Wealthy nations should pause booster Covid jab rollout until 2022 September 8, 2021 The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on wealthy cations with plentiful Covid jab supplies to delay booster shots until the end of the year. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hit back at claims vaccine supplies were high enough to allow for both booster jabs and vaccinations in countries facing shortages. “I [...]
UK redundancies fall to lowest in seven years despite furlough taper September 7, 2021 Proposed job redundancies in the UK plummeted to their lowest level in seven years in August, despite the fast approaching deadline of the government’s Covid furlough scheme. British employers proposed 12,687 job cuts in August – down almost 80 per cent from the same time last year, when the figure stood at 57,469, according to [...]
Covid and Brexit brew ‘perfect storm’ as Ikea stores hit by supply issues September 6, 2021 Ikea has been hit by the UK’s current lorry driver shortage, as it confirmed it is struggling with supplying around 1,000 of its product lines. The shortages, including mattresses in some stores, has been ignited by both the pandemic and Brexit, the Swedish furniture giant said. “Like many retailers, we are experiencing ongoing challenges with [...]