FOR: By Adrian Vinken, CEO, Theatre Royal, Plymouth For all of us who work in theatre, as in so many industries that rely on bringing people together, the past year has been nothing short of a nightmare. Hopes of reopening have been dashed again and again. Three months after London‘s West End went dark last … Read more
Arizona is dropping all of its remaining restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19 and opening vaccine eligibility to all residents 16 and older, Governor Doug Ducey said. ‘In Arizona, we never did a shutdown, so it’s impossible to have a grand reopening,’ he said. ‘Instead, we are continuing to take reasonable, safe and sensible … Read more
India today claimed it has spotted a ‘double mutant’ Covid variant that may spread easier and make vaccines less potent. Government-backed researchers detected the strain in samples taken in the western state of Maharashtra. They suggested the variant is a hybrid of two different Covid strains — a rare event which occurs when two viruses … Read more
EU tensions are rising today as Brussels unveils plans to block vaccine exports amid claims desperate Irish citizens trying to get jabs in Northern Ireland. The European Commission is set to defy anxiety over undermining legal contracts and publish new proposals widening the criteria for restricting exports. EU sources suggested Britain will be put squarely … Read more
‘It’s because of greed, my friends’: Boris Johnson says UK left EU trailing in its wake over Covid vaccines through self-interest… but later apologises and insists he ‘regrets’ remark Boris Johnson made comments during private meeting of the 1922 Committee He said: ‘The reason we have the vaccine success is because of capitalism…’ But the … Read more
EU leaders are threatening to block shipments of AstraZeneca vaccines to the UK even as its citizens balk at the idea of taking the jab, leaving millions of doses sitting un-used across the continent. There are currently 5.5million shots of AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine sitting in storage in Europe, data from the European Center for Disease … Read more
Russia hopes to make more money on Covid-19 vaccines than selling Kalashnikov guns and other weapons. ‘Sputnik V is our new oil,’ declared pro-Kremlin popular newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP). The claims came as Vladimir Putin was today being vaccinated against coronavirus, according to the Kremlin. His spokesman did not say which of three Russian-made vaccines … Read more
Health Secretary Matt Hancock today confirmed the Government may make Covid vaccines compulsory for care home staff. Ministers are concerned about low uptake rates among carers — NHS figures show just a third of workers have had the jabs in parts of London. Mr Hancock admitted mandatory vaccination was ‘something we are looking at’ and claimed … Read more
Vladimir Putin will receive Russian-made Covid jab tonight – but refuses to do so on camera or reveal which vaccine he will be given Russian President Putin will receive one of three Russian-made jabs tonight The Kremlin said refusing to reveal which vaccine Putin will have was deliberate Only four million of Russia’s 144 million people … Read more
Jabs will be COMPULSORY for care home staff: Leaked report says ministers will make vaccinations mandatory for workers in adult social care amid concerns over low take-up Figures show jab take-up among care home staff across England remains low To combat the issue, the government has now pushed for compulsory vaccines If plans go through, … Read more