UK R rate increases slightly to between 0.6 and 0.9 March 19, 2021 The UK’s R rate has increased slightly to sit between 0.6 and 0.9 but remains below the crucial 1 threshold, latest official data showed. The figure marks a marginal hike from last week, when scientists estimated that the R rate was between 0.6 and 0.8. The new R rate means that every 10 people infected [...]
London Covid-19 prevalence plummets as vaccination picks up pace March 19, 2021 The percentage of Londoners testing positive for coronavirus has continued its downward trend in the past week, as the nation’s largest ever vaccination programme continues at pace. The Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) latest infection survey estimated that the proportion of people in the capital testing positive for coronavirus fell to 0.3 per cent last [...]
European Commission calls for reciprocity on vaccine exports with the UK March 19, 2021 European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen has called for reciprocity on vaccine exports amid an ongoing row with the UK and US over jab deliveries. “I ask for greater openness as Europe is among the regions in the world that exports the most, but reciprocity is needed,” she told Italian newspaper la Repubblica. She [...]
Britain to trial vaccine passports to reopen sports venues March 19, 2021 Britain will pilot vaccine passports to encourage the return of fans to sports events, the culture minister has announced, as he claimed the future of the sporting industry depended on crowds filling seats this summer. In an interview with The Sun, Oliver Dowden said: “We are working to make sure we can get as many [...]
France, Spain, Italy and Germany to resume Astrazeneca vaccinations after EU regulator rules jab is ‘safe and effective’ March 18, 2021 France, Spain, Italy and Germany are among the European countries that have confirmed they will resume rolling out the Astrazeneca vaccine after the EU medicines regulator said there is “clear scientific” evidence that the jab is both “safe and effective”. Emer Cooke, executive director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), earlier today said the agency remains [...]
Covid-19 vaccine shortage: India manufacturing shortfall will delay 1.7m doses to the UK March 18, 2021 A spike in demand for vaccines from a manufacturer in India will leave a hole of more than 1.7m vaccine doses in the UK’s vaccine supplies over the coming months. A shipment of 1.7m doses of the Astrazeneca vaccine expected from the Serum Institute of India has been held up by four weeks, the health [...]
UK on course to meet vaccine targets despite ‘lumps and bumps’ in supply, says minister March 18, 2021 Britain is on course to meet its vaccination targets despite major “lumps and bumps” in supplies expected over the next few months, the housing minister has said. The UK will see a “significant reduction” in Covid-19 vaccine supplies from 29 March onward, a letter from the NHS to local vaccination centres revealed yesterday. The NHS [...]
Covid-19 vaccine shortage: UK will face ‘significant reduction’ in supply from 29 March March 17, 2021 Covid-19 vaccine shortage: UK will face 'significant reduction' in supply from 29 March
EU threatens to block vaccine exports to the UK for the second time March 17, 2021 The European Commission has threatened to block vaccine exports to the UK and other countries with high vaccination rates for the second time, as a bitter dispute over the EU’s sluggish jab rollout continues to escalate. European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen announced the bloc was facing “the crisis of this century” amid vaccine [...]
UK hits ‘significant milestone’ as 25m people receive their first Covid jab March 17, 2021 More than 25m people in the UK have now received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, official figures have shown, in a major boost for hopes of a return to normality on the horizon. A total of 25,273,226 have been given either the Pfizer or the Astrazeneca vaccine, while a further 1,759,445 people have [...]