Covid-19, a year on: the need for a more diverse UK economy March 26, 2021 In this series, City A.M. looks back at the last year of the pandemic and Covid restrictions and takes stock of its impact on industries and issues at the heart of British society. Read more: Read the full Covid-19, a year on series here. The UK’s economy was hit by a 10 per cent drop in GDP [...]
Scientists studying AstraZeneca vaccine as a nasal spray March 25, 2021 Scientists are to look into the effectiveness of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine when delivered using a nasal spray. The University of Oxford will examine the level of immune system responses generated by the vaccine using this delivery technique, as well as monitoring safety and for any adverse reactions. Thirty healthy Oxford-based volunteers aged 18-40 will receive [...]
MPs vote to extend emergency coronavirus powers for another six months March 25, 2021 MPs have voted to extend the government’s emergency Covid powers for a further six months. The 2020 Coronavirus Act was passed by 484 votes to 76, handing the government a majority of 408. It comes despite opposition from a group of rebel Tory backbenchers who argued that the extension could result in further lockdowns. The [...]
Corona Impact Series: How an immersive Hackney entertainer blurs pandemic boundaries March 25, 2021 In this series, City A.M. looks at the financial and economic impact of the ongoing pandemic on a range of small and medium-sized businesses across London. This week: How an immersive entertainment agency in Hackney was forced to switch from physical to virtual overnight, without losing any of the power of the experiences. “As Covid hit and the [...]
UK’s Covid alert level downgraded as hospital pressure eases March 25, 2021 The UK’s Covid alert level is set to be downgraded as the number if patients in hospital with coronavirus continues to fall, the head of the NHS has said. NHS England chief Sir Simon Stevens recommended the nation’s coronavirus emergency incident level be lowered from level four to level three, effective from today. It means [...]
Matt Hancock: No guarantee that coronavirus laws will end in six months March 25, 2021 The health secretary has refused to commit to ripping up the Coronavirus Act in six months, telling MPs that emergency Covid laws could stay in place for another year. Speaking at a Commons debate on a potential extension of the legislation, Matt Hancock said: “There are parts of this Act that have allowed us to [...]
200,000 more people furloughed last month as 4.7m are still on the scheme March 25, 2021 Another 200,000 people were put on furlough for the first time last month as the government paid out nearly £4bn to cover wages. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said it had paid £57.7bn in furlough cash to around 11.4m people since the pandemic began. Around 4.7m people were still on furlough by the end of [...]
Britain most willing nation in the world to get Covid vaccine, survey finds March 25, 2021 People in the UK are the most willing of any nation in the world to get vaccinated against coronavirus, according to a new study. A YouGov poll found that 86 per cent of people in Britain were willing to get a Covid vaccine or had already received one as of 21 March — the highest [...]
Lockdown pet boom boosts CVS revenue to £245.6m March 25, 2021 The UK’s lockdown pet boom brought a boost to veterinary services provider CVS, which enjoyed a 9.4 per cent revenue growth in the last six months of 2020. The company saw its revenue rise to £245.6m, up around £20m from the year before, as customers were found to be spending around six per cent more [...]
Johnson says UK is ‘on the side of openness’ following EU vaccine row March 25, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson today said that Britain is “on the side of openness” and that did he not want to see restrictions on the exchange of Covid-19 vaccines with the European Union. Yesterday the EU tightened its oversight of coronavirus vaccine exports, giving it greater scope to block shipments to countries with higher inoculation [...]