The body which represents NHS hospital trusts says the test and trace systems in England isn’t ready for the enormous demands of winter. NHS Providers is calling for testing capacity to be quadrupled within three months, a dramatic improvement on turnaround times and a clear plan for regular testing of health workers, according to the … Read more
Boris Johnson ‘prepares to face down Tory rebels’ demanding vote on future lockdown rules – as MPs warn ministers can no longer ‘curtail our freedoms by decree’ Downing Street is facing a growing Tory rebellion over imposition of Covid rules Some 60 Tory rebels now supporting bid to give MPs votes on future restrictions They … Read more
A glamorous young mother has spoken out from her hospital bed while still hooked up to oxygen to warn young people about the reality of Covid as cases reach record levels. Tilly Thorpe, 33, thought she would only suffer flu-like symptoms if she caught coronavirus as the virus is seen to mainly affects the old. … Read more
The first coronavirus vaccine will not be a ‘silver bullet’ and is unlikely to stop people catching the disease, scientists have warned. Experts advising the government said it may only reduce people’s symptoms and be partially effective as they stress the need for caution when it is rolled out. Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty … Read more
Experts have warned the UK will face ‘hefty tax rises’ by the middle of the decade to pay for the coronavirus crisis as Rishi Sunak today unveils his plans to replace furlough and stave off massive job losses over the winter. The Chancellor will announce his new Winter Economy Plan at lunchtime and its centrepiece … Read more
The horrifying cost of Boris Johnson’s six-month Covid clampdown was dramatically laid bare last night. Business chiefs and hospitality groups issued a string of dire warnings over the impact of the restrictions, saying millions of jobs were now on the line. They said the Prime Minister’s U-turn on his ‘get back to work’ message could … Read more
Britain hasn’t learnt its lesson from the first wave of coronavirus and is on the brink of making another ‘mistake’, one of the Government’s scientific advisers warned today amid claims tougher action is needed to control the outbreak. And another member of Number 10’s advice panel SAGE fears Boris Johnson‘s 10pm curfew on pubs, bars … Read more
Partial lockdowns which discourage eating out and a return by workers to the office could shrink the economy by up to 5 per cent, a think-tank warned yesterday. The Centre for Economics and Business Research calculated the bill for major restrictions covering sectors such as hospitality at up to £250million a day. This would mean … Read more
The UK is at a ‘critical point’ in the coronavirus pandemic, Professor Chris Whitty will warn in an address to the nation tomorrow as the Prime Minister lays out new measures to control a second devastating wave of coronavirus. In a televised briefing on Monday, the chief medical officer for England will say the country … Read more
A second national lockdown would put a million jobs at risk, warn hospitality chiefs at Britain’s leading bars and restaurants Hospitality bosses warn against two-week ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown in October Bosses say it would cripple firms that are ‘only just recovering from life support’ Around 900,000 hospitality employees are on Rishi Sunak’s furlough scheme By Harriet … Read more