Trump announces vaccine rollout ‘in less than 24 hours’ December 12, 2020 The first Americans will be vaccinated against coronavirus in the next 24 hours, President Donald Trump has announced, as the US last night authorised the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine for emergency use. In a video message posted on Twitter, Trump said the first doses of the “medical miracle” drug would be “free [of charge] for all Americans”. [...]
London records highest jump in Covid cases in England as Tier 3 pressure mounts December 11, 2020 London recorded the biggest leap in the proportion of people testing positive for coronavirus in the week to 5 December, cranking up fears of tighter restrictions for the capital ahead of the Christmas period. Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the level of Covid in London jumped from around 1 [...]
Breaking: Self-isolation period slashed to 10 days from Monday December 11, 2020 The self-isolation period for contacts of people who have tested positive for coronavirus will be cut from 14 days to 10 days from Monday. The change will also apply to people forced to quarantine after returning to the UK from high-risk countries. It means people across the four nations who have already been self-isolating for [...]
Astrazeneca to test combining Covid-19 vaccine with Russia’s Sputnik jab December 11, 2020 Astrazeneca has announced it will experiment with combining its Covid-19 vaccine with Russia’s Sputnik V jab, in a move that scientists believe could significantly boost efficacy. In its statement this morning, Astrazeneca said it was considering assessing combinations of different vaccines, and would soon begin exploring with Russia’s Gamaleya Institute, which developed Sputnik V. Peer-reviewed [...]
No-deal Brexit likeliest outcome, Ursula von der Leyen tells EU leaders December 11, 2020 A no-deal Brexit is now likelier than the UK leaving the transition period with a trade deal, Ursula von der Leyen has told EU leaders. Speaking on the second day of a two-day summit in Brussels, the European Commission president refused to put a percentage on the chances of agreement but told EU leaders there [...]
EU agrees deal to cut carbon emissions 55 per cent by 2030 December 11, 2020 EU leaders have agreed to set an ambitious target of slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 55 per cent over the next decade. The figure marks a significant increase on a target to reduce emissions by 40 per cent set in September. The deal comes after more than 10 hours of intense discussions overnight, as several [...]
Spending watchdog urges government to ‘stop throwing money’ at NHS Test and Trace December 11, 2020 The UK’s spending watchdog has urged ministers to “stop throwing money” at NHS Test and Trace, after the beleaguered system last month received an extra £7bn in funding despite repeatedly failing to achieve targets. In a scathing report on the programme’s performance so far, the National Audit Office (NAO) slammed Test and Trace for failing [...]
‘Don’t blow it now’: Matt Hancock urges caution as cases catapult in London December 10, 2020 Health secretary Matt Hancock has urged the public not to “blow it” by ignoring Covid restrictions, as new infections continue to surge across London, Essex and Kent. Speaking at a Downing Street press briefing, Hancock said the latest official figures showed “a worrying rise in infections” in London. The health secretary said the government faced difficult [...]
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 [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group confirms interest in Topshop-owner Arcadia December 10, 2020 Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has confirmed it is considering a deal to buy some of Arcadia’s brands, including Topshop, after the Sir Philip Green-owned retail empire collapsed at the end of last month. Chris Wootton, Frasers’ chief financial officer, told the BBC the group “tends to look at almost everything on the high street”, as [...]
