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 [...]
Britain begins trials of Valneva vaccine December 15, 2020 Valneva will begin phase one and two UK trials of its coronavirus vaccine today, boosting Britain’s chances of wide-scale inoculation next year. The Scottish-based vaccine company will initially test its jab on 150 British volunteers in England. Early stage trials will attempt to prove whether the vaccine produces a safe and effective immune response against [...]
Astrazeneca to buy US drugs firm Alexion for $39bn December 12, 2020 Astrazeneca has agreed to buy US drugmaker Alexion in a $39bn (£29.5bn) cash and share deal, as the British pharmaceuticals giant bolsters its presence in the immunology field. The Cambridge-headquartered firm, which is currently one of the frontrunners in the Covid vaccine arena, announced this afternoon that Alexion shareholders would receive $60 in cash and [...]
Trump announces vaccine rollout ‘in less than 24 hours’ December 12, 2020 The first Americans will be vaccinated against coronavirus in the next 24 hours, President Donald Trump has announced, as the US last night authorised the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine for emergency use. In a video message posted on Twitter, Trump said the first doses of the “medical miracle” drug would be “free [of charge] for all Americans”. [...]
Google to provide Covid vaccine information panels December 11, 2020 Google have announced a new feature on Search to provide users with official information about Covid vaccines.
Astrazeneca to test combining Covid-19 vaccine with Russia’s Sputnik jab December 11, 2020 Astrazeneca has announced it will experiment with combining its Covid-19 vaccine with Russia’s Sputnik V jab, in a move that scientists believe could significantly boost efficacy. In its statement this morning, Astrazeneca said it was considering assessing combinations of different vaccines, and would soon begin exploring with Russia’s Gamaleya Institute, which developed Sputnik V. Peer-reviewed [...]
Regulators prohibit Pfizer vaccine for people with ‘significant’ allergies after two NHS staff suffer reactions December 9, 2020 Two NHS staff members who received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on the first day of Britain’s mass vaccination programme yesterday suffered an allergic reaction, NHS England has confirmed. UK regulators have now issued a warning that people who have a history of “significant” allergic reactions should not currently receive the Pfizer vaccine. This applies to people [...]
Astrazeneca vaccine ‘safe and effective’, study finds December 8, 2020 The Astrazeneca/Oxford University vaccine is safe and effective in vaccinating people against coronavirus, independent analysis has confirmed.
‘Step forward for your country’: Matt Hancock urges Brits to get coronavirus vaccine December 8, 2020 Matt Hancock has told Britons to “step forward for your country” and get the coronavirus vaccine, as the NHS today started the largest vaccination programme in British history. “Today marks the start of the fight back against our common enemy coronavirus,” said the health secretary told the Commons this afternoon. “And while today’s the day [...]