Omicron hit to economy: New Covid restrictions may cost businesses £4bn in December December 9, 2021 The UK economy should brace itself for a £4 bn a month hit and see taxpayers foot the bill for more emergency support as new Covid restrictions to clamp down on the spread of the Omicron variant come into force, a think tank has warned. The right-wing Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) said Plan B [...]
Plan B: Boris Johnson set to announce new Covid restrictions at 5.30pm today December 8, 2021 Boris Johnson is set to announce new Covid-19 restrictions imminently to deal with the growing cases of the more transmissible Omicron variant. Multiple media outlets are now reporting that Johnson is set to bring in the Plan B restrictions – mandatory face masks and vaccine passports, along with working from home orders – as early [...]
Omicron hit to economy expected: India braces itself for ‘massive’ third Covid wave of Coronavirus infections December 8, 2021 Fears are growing rapidly in India that a massive third wave of Covid infections is building, as coronavirus infections may yet again spiral out of control, largely driven by the new Omicron variant. Last night local time, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) issued a warning to the country’s government that a third wave is inevitable [...]
South Africa upbeat as battle of the Covid mutations rages: Omicron deaths still zero despite new coronavirus variant spreading twice as fast as deadly Delta December 8, 2021 Scientists and policy makers in South Africa and across the region are cautiously optimistic that the rapidly spreading Omicron variant is not going to cause a bloodbath as, so far, no deaths have been linked to the new Covid mutation. Despite a record number of new infections – more than 40,000 people tested positive in [...]
Breakthrough: Scientists able to measure how well each Coronavirus vaccine binds to any Covid variant, including Omicron December 6, 2021 UK scientists have developed a new test will be able to demonstrate how well different Coronavirus vaccines “bind” to spike proteins in different Covid mutations, including the new Omicron variant. The main aim is to determine how each individual responds to Covid-19 and to different vaccines, and to establish whether someone needs a booster. In [...]
Next pandemic could be more lethal than Covid-19 warns vaccine creator December 6, 2021 The global community must learn from the Covid-19 crisis as the next pandemic could be even worse a creator of the AstraZeneca vaccine said.
Sigh of relief in South Africa as Omicron variant appears to be ‘super mild‘ mutation with Covid death rate not jumping December 6, 2021 The WHO and Coronavirus experts are increasingly convinced the new Omicron variant is ‘super mild’ and has, so far, not led to a jump in Covid death rates anywhere in Southern Africa. The WHO is calling this morning for countries to drop travel restrictions and end the mass hysteria, and instead be cautiously optimistic as [...]
Forced Covid quarantine in hotel breaches human rights, argues returning London couple as they launch legal challenge December 6, 2021 Coronavirus hotel quarantine is a “fundamental breach of human rights”, according to a London couple returning from South Africa. Today, Owen Hancock, 35, and Emily Mennie, 30, were due to enter hotel quarantine on their return from a break in South Africa. They say they were left stranded when the country was added to the [...]
Blackrock and Vanguard rake in billions: Omicron variant makes Moderna and Pfizer shareholders more than $10bn December 6, 2021 Big pharma executives and shareholders saw their wealth skyrocket in the week after the Omicron variant was discovered, with eight top Pfizer and Moderna shareholders making a combined $10.3bn. Campaigners have accused pharma executives of “making a killing from a crisis they helped to create”, blaming “grotesque” levels of vaccine inequality for creating the conditions [...]
Franco Manca owner Fulham Shore toasts doubled revenue December 6, 2021 The company behind pizza chain Franco Manca and The Real Greek saw its revenues jump 103 per cent in the first six months of its financial year to £39.5m, up from £19.9m a year earlier. Its half year sales were also 10 per cent ahead of its £36m revenues in the same period in 2019, [...]