Exclusive: London’s Nightingale Hospital to reopen next week at just 1.5 per cent capacity January 5, 2021 The Nightingale Hospital at London’s Excel Centre is due to reopen next week at an estimated 1.5 per cent of its original capacity, as the NHS scrambles to find enough staff to treat patients. The emergency hospital has been “reactivated” to provide non-Covid related care for around 60 patients, senior sources close to the Nightingale [...]
Test and Trace failed to reach 30,000 people who tested positive for coronavirus in week before Christmas January 5, 2021 The Test and Trace scheme failed to reach more than 30,000 people who tested positive for coronavirus in the week before Christmas, at the same time the government warned that a new coronavirus mutation was spreading across the country. Latest official figures showed that 232,169 people tested positive for Covid at least once between 17 [...]
Rishi Sunak rolls out more financial support after sinking businesses demand immediate lifeline January 5, 2021 Rishi Sunak has set out plans to offer more financial support to businesses struggling under England’s third nationwide lockdown. Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses are set to receive a one-off grant of up to £9,000 per property to help them survive. Taxpayers will fork out another £4bn for the business grants, which will benefit more [...]
Matt Hancock: South African coronavirus mutation ‘more of a problem’ than current strain January 4, 2021 The new South African coronavirus mutation is the fastest-spreading Covid strain yet and will likely present a “very, very significant problem” for the UK, the health secretary has warned. Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, Hancock said he was “incredibly worried” about the South African variant. “That’s why we took the action that we did [...]
BioNTech founders warn of vaccine supply gaps -Spiegel January 1, 2021 By Douglas Busvine BERLIN (Reuters) – BioNTech is working flat out with partner Pfizer to boost production of their COVID-19 vaccine, its founders said, warning there would be gaps in supply until other vaccines were rolled out. The German biotech startup has led the vaccine race but its shot has been slow to arrive in [...]
EU regulator gives green light to Pfizer/Biontech coronavirus vaccine December 21, 2020 Countries in the European Union could be rolling out coronavirus jabs within a week after the EU regulator approved the use of the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) today recommended the EU should authorise the vaccine after finding it safe and effective. A decision from the European Commission is expected later today. The [...]
Business confidence surged on vaccines before new lockdowns December 21, 2020 The start of the UK’s coronavirus vaccination programme drove up business confidence to a nine-month high in December, a survey has shown. However, the Lloyds business barometer gave a picture of businesses’ attitudes before the government tightened the lockdown rules over Christmas, bringing new uncertainty to firms. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday announced London [...]
Sadiq Khan calls on government to release daily vaccination data December 18, 2020 Sadiq Khan has urged the health secretary to release daily data detailing uptake of the coronavirus vaccine across the UK, in an effort to build public awareness and trust in Britain’s largest ever vaccination programme. In a letter to Matt Hancock, the mayor of London called for daily reporting on the vaccine programme echoing infection [...]
John Lewis and Waitrose launch in-store Covid testing December 18, 2020 John Lewis is set to launch rapid Covid testing sites in select Waitrose and retail shops around the country in a bid to ensure its 16,000 staff are fit for work. Coronavirus testing will now be available at 40 partnership locations in England, including Waitrose and John Lewis supply chain sites, customer fulfilment centres, textiles [...]
Bank of England holds rates and says vaccines ‘reduce risks’ to economy December 17, 2020 The Bank of England has left interest rates on hold at 0.1 per cent and its bond-buying programme at £895bn, saying the arrival of vaccines is likely to boost the economy next year but warning new restrictions will weigh on growth in the winter. It comes after the Bank expanded its quantitative easing programme by [...]