Tag Archives: Britain

The Sunday Times reports: Supermarkets are this weekend stockpiling food and other goods after being told by ministers that a no-deal Brexit is on the cards. Food producers have warned there will be shortages of vegetables for three months and emergency planners predict that no-deal would spark panic-buying on a scale that could dwarf the coronavirus crisis. In a sign …

The Express reports: Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance admitted that it may still be a long time before the world gets back to normal despite the distribution of coronavirus vaccines. While speaking on Sky News he said that in the UK there could be a significant step back to normality as early as spring. However, he noted that even …

From the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales: At present, debate concerns the use of the vaccines developed by Pfizer & BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca. Some have questioned the use of the Astra Zeneca vaccine since it has been developed from cell-lines originating from the cells of an aborted foetus in 1983. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith …

CNBC reports: The U.K. is rolling out the first coronavirus vaccines to the public on Tuesday, making it one of the first countries in the world to do so. Member of the public Margaret Keenan, a 90 year-old grandmother, made history as she became the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine outside of trial conditions. The …

The Independent reports: The Queen of England and Prince Philip are expected to get the Covid-19 vaccine within the next few weeks, in line with national guidelines on the prioritisation of vulnerable groups. A source told The Mail on Sunday that Queen Elizabeth II, 94, and Prince Philip, 99, will not get preferential treatment, but will instead “wait in line” …

The Associated Press reports: The coronavirus vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech was being sent to hospitals across the U.K. in super-cold containers on Sunday, two days ahead of the kickoff of Britain’s biggest-ever immunization program, one being closely watched around the world. Around 800,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to be in place for the …

The Independent reports: Over 2,300 people have pledged to show up to an “egg-throwing contest” on the same day as the unveiling of a statue of Margaret Thatcher in her hometown of Grantham. The £300,000 bronze statue of the controversial former prime minister will be placed on a 10ft-high plinth due to fears about vandalism, making the entire sculpture over …

The BBC reports: The UK has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, paving the way for mass vaccination. Britain’s medicines regulator, the MHRA, says the jab, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19 illness, is safe to be rolled out. The first 800,000 doses will be available in the UK from next …

Reuters reports: People who refuse a vaccine for COVID-19 could find normal life curtailed as restaurants, bars, cinemas and sports venues could block entry to those who don’t have proof they are inoculated, Britain’s new vaccine minister said on Monday. Asked by the BBC if there would be an immunity passport, Nadhim Zahawi said a person’s COVID-19 vaccine status might …

NPR reports: David Prowse, the British weightlifting champion and man behind the Darth Vader mask, has died. He was 85. The actor’s management company shared the news of his passing early Sunday morning on social media “with great regret and heart-wrenching sadness for us and million of fans around the world.” Prowse wore the Darth Vader costume in the original …

The Associated Press reports: The British government appointed a vaccines minister on Saturday as it prepares to inoculate millions of people against the coronavirus, potentially starting within days. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Conservative lawmaker Nadhim Zahawi will oversee the country’s biggest vaccine program in decades. The U.K. medicines regulator is currently assessing two vaccines — one developed by Pfizer …

Via press release from London’s Metropolitan Police: Ahead of a planned protest on Saturday, 28 November, the Met is urgently reminding those looking to attend that protest is not currently a permitted exemption to the prohibition on gatherings under the current Coronavirus regulations. Strict regulations have been introduced by the Government nationally to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus. This …

The Guardian reports: Hospitals have been told to prepare for the rollout of a coronavirus vaccine in as little as 10 days’ time, with NHS workers expected to be at the front of the queue, the Guardian has learned. NHS bosses said hospitals in England could expect to receive their first deliveries of a vaccine produced by Pfizer/BioNTech as soon …

The Associated Press reports: The British government said Friday it has formally asked the country’s medicines regulator to assess whether a coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University should be authorized for use. The step comes amid questions about preliminary results from trials of the jab, after the company and the university acknowledged that the most encouraging part of …

Reuters reports: The four nations of the United Kingdom have agreed to relax COVID-19 restrictions for Christmas to allow up to three households to meet at home for five days. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have taken differing approaches to handling the pandemic so far but the leaders of the devolved nations reached agreement with London on Tuesday on …

The BBC reports: The Oxford coronavirus vaccine shows a strong immune response in adults in their 60s and 70s, raising hopes that it can protect age groups most at risk from the virus. Researchers say the Lancet phase two findings, based on 560 healthy adult volunteers, are “encouraging”. They are also testing whether the vaccine stops people developing Covid-19 in …

Sky News reports: Boris Johnson has branded Donald Trump the “previous president” and hailed his “refreshing” conversation with successor Joe Biden. Mr Trump is continuing to claim he won last week’s US presidential election and has made multiple unsubstantiated claims of fraud. But the prime minister consigned Mr Trump’s presidency to the history books on Wednesday, as he told MPs …

The Guardian reports: Downing Street’s congratulatory message to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on winning the US presidential election contains a hidden message congratulating Donald Trump for winning a second term in office. The message, posted on Twitter as an image a few hours after the US TV networks called the election for Biden, congratulates the president-elect on his election, …

The Guardian reports: New diagnoses of HIV among gay and bisexual men have dropped to their lowest level in 20 years, according to Public Health England. A PHE report reveals that overall, across all genders and sexualities, the number of people with a new HIV diagnosis dropped by 10% from 4,580 cases in 2018 to 4,139 in 2019. There was …

The BBC reports: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a second national lockdown for England as the UK passed one million Covid-19 cases. Non-essential shops and hospitality will have to close for four weeks on Thursday, he said. But unlike the restrictions in spring, schools, colleges and universities will be allowed to stay open. It comes as documents suggested the …