Asian stocks mixed as investors weigh ‘virus vs. vaccine’ November 19, 2020 Asian stocks were mixed as investors weighed up rising coronavirus cases and new measures to curb them with hopes that a vaccine could soon be ready. Equities fell in Japan by 0.5 per cent after Tokyo warned about a record rise in daily coronavirus cases. The warning prompted fears that further restrictions could soon be [...]
The City View podcast, from Morning Wire, with Adam Byatt November 18, 2020 The City View: Michelin-starred chef Adam Byatt on how hospitality became a scapegoat Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSSIn this episode Christian talks to Adam Byatt, the Michelin-starred proprietor of Trinity in Clapham, about how the pandemic has inflicted huge pain on the hospitality sector and why he feels it was made a scapegoat ahead of [...]
Editorial: Christmas plans expose Government’s lack of strategy November 18, 2020 Only a true Scrooge would begrudge the Government’s reported plans to open up the country for a Christmas spectacular. But, well, here we are. Such a move betrays the fundamental lack of thought at the heart of the Government’s strategy – or lack thereof. The plan, as we understand it, is to allow for household [...]
People gain ‘not a lot’ from wearing face masks: Danish study November 18, 2020 Wearing a mask does not fully protect against coronavirus, a major study has found, as pressure mounts on ministers to set out a strategy for easing lockdown restrictions across the country. A Danish study of more than 6,000 participants published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has found that masks are only “50 per cent [...]
British PM defends COVID-19 procurement after “chumocracy” accusations November 18, 2020 By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended his government’s handling of the procurement of protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday, after a spending watchdog said suppliers with political links had been fast-tracked. The National Audit Office (NAO) said there had been a lack of transparency and a failure [...]
Christmas relaxation of restrictions will likely spell January lockdown November 18, 2020 England could face a month-long lockdown in January in exchange for five days of relaxed restrictions over Christmas, the UK’s health chiefs have suggested. Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser to NHS Test and Trace, initially told a Downing Street briefing this morning that advice from Sage showed “for every day that we release [measures] we [...]
Pfizer-Biontech coronavirus vaccine now 95 per cent effective November 18, 2020 Pfizer and Biontech’s coronavirus vaccine has now proved 95 per cent effective and has met the safety criteria needed for emergency authorisation, the companies said today. The two firms last week published preliminary data showing the vaccine offered 90 per cent protection against Covid-19. But the jab has now met the same efficacy rate as [...]
Wrong masks, retrospective due diligence and absent records: Litany of govt PPE failure laid bare November 18, 2020 A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has offered examples of some of the failures made by the Cabinet Office when it came to procuring personal protective equipment (PPE) in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. The investigative report, which was published by the NAO today, has outlined examples of the government handing [...]
Deloitte handed PPE contract 4 months after it started work November 18, 2020 The Cabinet Office awarded a £3.2m contract to big four auditor Deloitte to help procure personal protective equipment (PPE), four months after it had started working with the government. According to a critical report from the National Audit Office (NAO), Deloitte was handed the multi-million pound contract on 21 July 2020, with the contract effective [...]
B&M sales benefit from lockdown loophole, but fails to grow customer base November 18, 2020 B&M benefits from being classed as an essential retailer due to stocking food and household goods, meaning stores have been allowed to remain open during lockdowns – an issue that has been widely discussed in the media.