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 [...]
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 [...]
UK banks urged to scrap branch closures during lockdown January 28, 2021 Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority has today told banks to rethink moves to close branches during lockdown. The FCA said banks should consider the impact of national restrictions on their ability to comply with regulatory guidance on closing branches. The authority released a statement today urging banks to consult any customers that are affected directly. The [...]
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 [...]
Scientists warn of 50,000 more Covid deaths as they slam ‘poor decisions’ January 27, 2021 “A legacy of poor decisions” led the the UK to have one of the highest coronavirus death tolls in the world, scientists have said, as they warned of 50,000 further deaths. Britain yesterday passed the “grim milestone” of 100,000 Covid-related fatalities, marking the fifth-highest death toll in the world. It makes the UK the fifth [...]
Boris Johnson to outline lifting restrictions ‘in next few days’ January 26, 2021 Ministers will set out details about reopening the nation after months of closure “over the next few days and weeks,” the Prime Minister has announced. Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Boris Johnson said ministers are currently drawing up plans about “how we want to get things open again”. It comes as the UK [...]
NHS chief earmarks summer for return to normality January 26, 2021 NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens has signalled that the UK could begin to see a return to normality by the summer if plans to ramp up the nation’s vaccination programme go to plan. Teachers and police could be fast-tracked for the Covid vaccine as early as mid-February, the NHS boss said. Ministers have set [...]
China ‘withheld information’ about coronavirus in outbreak of pandemic January 26, 2021 China “withheld crucial information” about coronavirus from the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the early days of the pandemic, according to leaked audio recordings. George Gao, director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, held vital information about the novel virus for almost two weeks before China announced Covid-19’s genomic sequence, according to [...]
Exclusive: NHS drops ‘mass vaccination centre’ term over scare-mongering concerns January 25, 2021 The NHS has dropped the term “mass vaccination centre” to describe its large-scale vaccine hubs over fears it will alienate the public. NHS England will instead describe its 50 major vaccine hubs as “NHS vaccine centres”, City A.M. can reveal. A spokesperson for NHS England said the shift was to avoid members of the public [...]
Matt Hancock announces ‘enhanced contact tracing’ for Covid mutation infections January 25, 2021 The UK has launched an “enhanced” contact tracing system for people infected with any of the new coronavirus variants, Matt Hancock announced today. All those found infected with the South African coronavirus variant in UK have been subject to enhanced scrutiny, the health secretary announced, as Britain attempts to curb the spread of new mutations. [...]