London’s R rate falls to between 0.6 and 0.9 January 29, 2021 London’s R rate has dropped to a best estimate of 0.6 to 0.9 — the lowest in the country — suggesting infections are heading for a significant decline over the next few weeks. The figure means infections may be falling anywhere between two and seven per cent each day. It also plunge London’s rate of [...]
Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Covid vaccine 66 per cent effective January 29, 2021 The Covid vaccine being developed by Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, is 66 per cent effective at preventing moderate and severe coronavirus, data published from phase three trials has shown. The jab produced by world’s largest healthcare company is the first single-dose Covid vaccine so far. Britain has pre-ordered 30m doses of the [...]
Government set to write off estimated £31bn of pandemic loans January 29, 2021 An estimate of £31bn of government loans handed out during the pandemic will have to be written off, according to the UK’s spending watchdog. In its latest Covid-19 Cost Tracker, the National Audit Office (NAO) forecast that the total cost of the pandemic for Britain will balloon to £271bn, of which £116bn has been spent [...]
Unite union ‘paid £95m to leader’s friend’ for project estimated to cost £7m January 28, 2021 A construction firm owned by the friend of Unite leader Len McCluskey was paid £95m by the union for a project that was originally supposed to cost £7m, according to reports. The Flanagan Group, a Liverpool-based building firm, was paid the money to act as a private contractor on a new national conference centre and [...]
‘Antibody cocktail’ could cut risk of death from Covid by 70 per cent January 28, 2021 The UK’s medicines regulatory body is reviewing a new “antibody cocktail” that could reduce the risk of death from people most at-risk from coronavirus by 70 per cent. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is carrying out advanced tests of bamlanivimab and etesevimab after trials showed “very encouraging” results. If approved they could [...]
Germany recommends blocking Astrazeneca vaccine for over-65s January 28, 2021 German health authorities have issued a draft recommendation that the Astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine should not be used in over-65s. A statement by the Standing Vaccine Commission at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) — Germany’s main public health body — said there was “insufficient data currently available to ascertain how effective the vaccination is above 65 [...]
Tory MP slammed after telling anti-vaxxers NHS figures are ‘manipulated’ January 28, 2021 A Conservative MP has faced condemnation from government ministers after he told an anti-vaccination campaign group that NHS statistics are being “manipulated” and that we are living in a “police state”. Sir Desmond Swayne told Save Our Rights UK, which organised the anti-lockdown rally in Trafalgar Square last September, to continue their fight against lockdown [...]
Covid cases begin decline as ‘lockdown has worked’ January 28, 2021 Covid cases have begun to decline across the UK, according to the latest government-backed study, after England’s chief scientific adviser said there were early signs “lockdowns have worked”. The latest figures from Imperial College London’s React study showed around 1.57 per cent of people in the UK had the virus between 6 and 22 January — slightly [...]
Bomb disposal unit called to suspicious package at Astrazeneca vaccine plant January 27, 2021 A bomb disposal unit has been called to a suspicious package at a plant where the Astrazeneca Covid vaccine is packaged into vials. Wockhardt UK, a Wrexham-based pharmaceuticals company, said it had partially evacuated the plant as it investigated the package. In a statement, the firm said: “Wockhardt UK in Wrexham this morning received a [...]
Lockdown extended until at least 8 March January 27, 2021 England’s third national lockdown will be extended until at least 8 March, the Prime Minister has announced, as ministers ramp up plans to get the nation vaccinated before easing restrictions. Speaking in the Commons, Boris Johnson said schools in England will also stay closed until the spring, rather than mid-February as originally planned. “If we [...]
