Pubs and restaurants could reopen in April without alcohol February 6, 2021 Pubs and restaurants could reopen as soon as April on the condition that they agree not to sell alcohol, according to reports. Ministers are considering a a temporary “booze ban” as part of the government’s roadmap for lifting lockdown set to be unveiled on 22 February, the Telegraph reported. Scientists are understood to be concerned that [...]
Myanmar cuts off internet amid anti-coup protests February 6, 2021 Military rulers in Myanmar have shut down the country’s internet in an attempt to muzzle opposition rhetoric as protests against Monday’s coup continue to attract thousands. Members of the public flocked to the streets in the main city of Yangon, while crowds chanted: “Military dictator, fail, fail! Democracy, win, win!” as riot police blocked the [...]
Ministers to seize control of the NHS in sweeping reforms February 6, 2021 Ministers will take direct control of the NHS amid ongoing frustration at its performance during the pandemic, marking the biggest reform for the health service for a decade. The plans are understood to have begun before the 2019 election, but have been accelerated amid mounting frustration from Number 10 over the state of the health [...]
Majority of adults in UK to be offered Covid vaccine by May February 5, 2021 Most adults in the UK will receive a Covid vaccine by the end of May, according to a senior government adviser, in a major boost for hopes of a return to normality by the summer. Samuel Kasumu, a senior adviser to the Prime Minister on ethnic minorities, revealed the target in a resignation letter leaked [...]
Astrazeneca vaccine works against Kent Covid variant February 5, 2021 The Astrazeneca vaccine currently being deployed in the UK’s largest ever immunisation programme works against the coronavirus variant first identified in Kent, researchers have found. Scientists from Oxford University, working in collaboration with the British-Swedish firm, said the jab has a similar efficacy against the new Covid variant compared to the original coronavirus strain it was [...]
Government orders 50m doses of CureVac vaccine for new Covid mutations February 5, 2021 The government has signed a deal with German biotech firm CureVac for 50m doses of a new vaccine being developed to tackle emerging Covid mutations. The deal will see CureVac create “new varieties of vaccines based on messenger RNA technology to be developed quickly against new strains of Covid-19 if they are needed”, the Department [...]
British Gas workers to hold 12 further strikes over ‘fire and rehire’ plans February 5, 2021 British Gas workers are set to hold 12 further strikes in the coming weeks amid ongoing pay disputes at the firm, the GMB union has announced. The fresh industrial action will be in three lots of four-day strikes, each beginning at midnight on 12 February, 19 February and 26 February, GMB said in a statement. Around 7,000 union members [...]
UK government will ‘help facilitate’ vaccine passports, says minister February 5, 2021 The UK government will “help facilitate” vaccine passports with other countries as part of plans for Europe to return to normality, the Foreign Office minister has said. The Times reported this morning that British officials have started working on an official certification system after Greece said it would waive quarantine rules for tourists able to [...]
Government faces backlash over ‘half-baked’ hotel quarantine plans February 5, 2021 Ministers have faced a deluge of backlash over “half-baked” plans to introduce a mandatory hotel quarantine for arrivals to the UK, with some MPs calling the scheme “too little too late”. The Prime Minister earlier this week said the government was drawing up plans to introduce a mandatory 10-night hotel quarantine on arrivals to Britain [...]
UK could see ‘significant return to normality’ and economic rebound by summer February 4, 2021 The UK could see a “significant return to normality” by the summer, one of the government’s top scientific advisers has said, as the nation’s largest ever vaccination programme continues to beat targets. Andrew Hayward, director of UCL’s Institute for Epidemiology and member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said this morning that [...]
