Coronavirus: PM urges Brits to be ‘reasonable’ and responsible as he says ‘tide will turn’ in 12 weeks March 19, 2020 Brits have been urged to be reasonable and responsible as the government continues to grapple with the coronavirus outbreak as it begins to peak. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he believed covid-19 could be under control by the summer – but only if people follow the social distancing measures already set out. If not, he [...]
Coronavirus: US looks to approve new treatments as cases pass 10,000 March 19, 2020 US president Donald Trump has announced that anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine will be made available almost immediately to treat coronavirus, as the number of cases in the US passed 10,000. The drug is one of a number of therapies that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating as possible treatments for the virus. Trump [...]
These are all the Tube stations closed under London coronavirus measures March 19, 2020 Transport for London (TfL) took the unprecedented step of closing down 40 Tube stations today and has also shut down the Waterloo & City line. It is also cutting services on lines such as the DLR, London Overground, trams and TfL Rail, as well as operating a Saturday-style bus service. The drastic measure came in [...]
Coronavirus: Death toll in the UK rises to 137 March 19, 2020 The number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK has risen from 103 to 137. It comes after NHS England confirmed a further 29 people who tested positive for coronavirus in England had died. The patients were aged between 47 and 96 years old and had underlying health conditions. [...]
Coronavirus: Easyjet and Lufthansa bosses warn that industry will need state aid March 19, 2020 Easyjet chief executive Johan Lundgren has warned that he expects to see “a lot of failures” in the global aviation industry due to the damage done by the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking to the BBC, Lundgren said: “I have been working in the industry for 30 years and I have never seen anything like this.” “If [...]
Police on standby to help supermarkets in London lockdown March 19, 2020 Police could be called in to support UK supermarkets to deter aggressive behaviour in the event of a London lockdown as part of measures to delay the spread of coronavirus. Politicians and supermarkets have both urged the public to stop panic buying. However, demand for groceries has continued to spike. Shelves have been stripped and [...]
Coronavirus bill: Government outlines emergency powers to curb coronavirus outbreak March 19, 2020 Doctors and police officers will be handed sweeping powers to detain people suspected of being infected with Covid-19, as part of measures being brought in with emergency legislation. According to the nearly 330-page Coronavirus Bill published this afternoon, a single doctor may be able to “impose such requirements and restrictions on the person as the [...]
Treat customers fairly during coronavirus crisis, watchdog tells insurers March 19, 2020 Changes in how the public go about their lives because of the coronavirus pandemic must not make it harder for them to make insurance claims, the financial regulator has warned insurers. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has urged firms to treat customers fairly and be transparent during the outbreak, noting that many consumers will be [...]
Supermarket sweep: Spending data reveals shopper stockpiling and collapse in holiday bookings March 19, 2020 Brits are stocking up on essentials and holding off on booking holidays as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the country, but they aren’t yet splashing the cash on takeaways, according to data from Starling Bank. The digital bank said customer spending at supermarkets was soaring to levels typically seen at Christmas, with warehouse outlet Costco entering [...]
Manufacturing industry calls for tax deferment as part of coronavirus package March 19, 2020 The British manufacturing industry is calling for an immediate deferment of VAT, PAYE and National Insurance payments as part of a package of measures to tackle the impact of coronavirus. As the prospect looms of thousands of skilled employees being laid off, industry group Make UK has called on the government to delay taxes as [...]