After lengthy discussions lasting into the early hours, the Northern Ireland Executive has announced tighter restrictions to curb raising Covid19 infection numbers. With the introduction of the four-week coronavirus circuit breaker, the additional measures edge Northern Ireland closer to an all-out lockdown. However, Arlene Foster stressed that schools would only close for two weeks while […]
The UK coronavirus death rates have been in steady decline. From an all-time high of over 1’100 daily deaths in late April, the UK has been recording fewer and fewer deaths despite the easing of restrictions. According to the ONS, in the week leading up to the 7 August, 152 people sadly lost their lives […]
Matt Hancock’s plans to scrap Public Health England (PHE) is a “desperate attempt at blame shifting” for the government’s coronavirus failings, critics have said. The government has been accused of trying to “scapegoat” the organisation for their own failings in dealing with the pandemic after reports emerged that the health secretary will announce this week […]
Although everyone knew that the UK economy suffered a significant blow because of the lockdown, few experts expected the UK coronavirus recession to be the worst on record. The latest ONS figures show that GDP is 17.2 per cent lower now than it was in February. A country is in recession if the economy shrinks […]
A recent Public Health England study has revealed that people who are overweight are 40 per cent more likely to die from COVID19. This confirms the link between obesity and coronavirus and has led the PM to launch an anti-obesity campaign. Having contracted the virus in April, Boris Johnson said that he had been “way […]
The UK government’s decision to opt-out of the EU’s coronavirus vaccine scheme has been condemned as “unforgivable” and driven by ideology rather than being in the best interests of the country. Health secretary Matt Hancock today (Friday) confirmed the UK would not join the EU plan to distribute a potential vaccine. Ministers expressed concerns about […]
In his mini-budget today, the Chancellor is set to announce a £2bn investment into a new coronavirus employment scheme for young people. Under the scheme, the government will pay the wages of 18-24 year-olds working 25 hours per week. Employers have the option to make top-up payments. Although this youth employment boost has received a […]
When the first wave of the pandemic hit the UK, the government introduced special support measures for coronavirus and the homeless. Rough sleepers got hotel rooms as councils worked to get everyone off the street. The councils’ action came in response to the government’s special homelessness advisor, Dame Louise Casey, introducing the ‘get everyone in […]
The health secretary has hailed a drug which speeds up a Covid-19 patient’s recovery time as “probably the biggest step forward in the treatment of coronavirus since the crisis began”. Matt Hancock announced the drug remdesivir will be made available on the NHS after early data from clinical trials showed it reduces recovery time for […]
In anticipation of a future investigation into the UK coronavirus response and the government’s handling of the pandemic, the blame game between scientists and politicians has begun. While the government has always insisted that all decisions were based on scientific advice, the high coronavirus death toll in care homes has led ministers to pass the […]