Covid-19 Series

January 11, 2021

Covid-19 update 11-01-21 featuring Italy

A background to this update can be found in an introductory article to the Chief-Exec.com Covid Analytics platform. This update follows on from that published…

Covid-19 update 06-01-21 featuring Japan

Covid Analytics: featuring the World in 2020

Covid-19 News In Brief

Can America hold back the Covid-19 second wave?

As Covid spreads Covid wars intensify

Coronavirus: an Antipodean approach

Coronavirus: failure and a modicum of success?

Test and trace may well matter, Mr Johnson

July 21, 2020

The two phases of the coronavirus

July 17 marked the 200th day of counting the number of infections and deaths arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, writes Dr John Egan. This count…

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UK edges towards double-dip recession
The UK economy has edged towards a double-dip recession after official figures confirmed a renewed slump in November fuelled by the second national coronavirus lockdown in England. The Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product fell by 2.6 per cent month-on-month in November, when the government forced the closure of non-essential shops and the hospitality sector in England to combat rapid growth in Covid infections, and as tougher controls in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland weighed on growth. Reflecting the renewed controls amid the second wave of the pandemic, the latest official figures end six consecutive months of growth over the summer, when the UK economy had been recovering from the first wave of the crisis. The impact of renewed restrictions took GDP in November down to 8.5 per cent below its pre-pandemic level, in a setback for Britain’s economic recovery from the first wave of the crisis. The Guardian, January 15

UK workers’ rights at risk in plans to rip up EU labour market rules
Worker protections enshrined in EU law – including the 48-hour week – would be ripped up under plans being drawn up by the government as part of a post-Brexit overhaul of UK labour markets. The package of deregulatory measures is being put together by the UK’s business department with the approval of Downing Street, according to people familiar with the matter. It has not yet been agreed by ministers – or put to the cabinet – but select business leaders have been sounded out on the plan. The proposed shake-up of regulations from the “working time directive” will delight many Tory MPs but is likely to spark outrage among Britain’s trade union leaders. The move would potentially mark a clear divergence from EU labour market standards but the UK would only face retaliation from Brussels under the terms of its new post-Brexit trade treaty if the EU could demonstrate the changes had a material impact on competition. Financial Times, January 14

Insurers must pay small firms for Covid losses
Tens of thousands of small businesses are set to receive insurance payouts covering losses from the first national lockdown, following a court ruling. The Supreme Court found in favour of small firms receiving payments from business interruption insurance policies. For some businesses it could provide a lifeline, allowing them to trade beyond the coronavirus crisis. The ruling could cost the insurance sector hundreds of millions of pounds. The City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority, brought the test case, with eight insurers agreeing to take part in proceedings. One of the insurers set to make significant payouts is Hiscox, which was challenged by 30,000 policyholders as part of the case. Richard Leedham, who represented the Hiscox Action Group – on behalf of small businesses, said: “This is a landmark victory for a small group of businesses who took on a huge insurance player and have been fully vindicated. What is important now is that Hiscox accepts the Supreme Court’s verdict and starts paying out to its policy holders, many of whom are in danger of going under”. Other insurers involved in the test case are Arch, Argenta, MS Amlin, QBE and RSA – but as many as 60 insurers sold similar products. BBC news, January 15

EU leaders draw up virus vaccine passports
European Union leaders will discuss plans next week for coronavirus vaccination “passports” to allow people who have had the injections to avoid travel restrictions and go on holiday. British vaccination certificates would not automatically be accepted by the EU, and Britons’ holiday plans could be delayed until European travel plans have been agreed. Greece, Poland, Cyprus and Denmark have already announced plans to issue vaccination certificates that could allow people to travel freely, especially in time for this summer’s tourist season. Next Thursday Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek prime minister, will urge other European leaders to agree on certificates “facilitating the freedom of movement of persons who have been vaccinated against Covid-19”. In a letter to the European Commission he wrote: “People who have been vaccinated should be free to travel. It is urgent to adopt a common understanding on how a vaccination certificate should be structured so as to be accepted in all member states.” The Times, January 15

You misled us over Brexit deal, angry fishermen tell Johnson
British fishermen have accused Boris Johnson of dishonesty and betrayal over his Brexit fishing deal. An angry letter from the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations accuses him of submitting to a “neo-colonial relationship with the EU on fish for long into the future”. In the letter, seen by The Times, the prime minister is accused of sacrificing the industry to get a deal and then trying to mislead both the public and fishermen over what he had negotiated. “Everything … that you, and others at the very top of government told us, and also told parliament [and] the general public, led us to believe that your stance on fishing was not just rhetoric or expedience, but was based around a principle – that a sovereign country should be able to control who fishes in its own waters and should be able to harvest the fish resources in its own waters primarily for its own people. That proved not to be the case,” says the federation’s letter to Downing Street. The Times, January 15

Infosys confident in UK market after Brexit
The chief executive of Infosys, one of the world’s largest IT companies, said he is confident about the UK market after years of uncertainty in the run-up to Brexit. Salil Parekh, who took over the role in 2018, said Infosys plans to expand in the UK and Europe now that Britain and the EU have agreed a trade deal. “The uncertainty is behind us,” he said. Infosys, which had revenues of $12.8bn last year, manages IT systems for many of the world’s biggest companies and in recent years has shifted focus to digital services such as cloud computing. Its UK clients include Vodafone, BT and energy supplier Eon. Last month it signed a deal with German carmaker Daimler to overhaul its IT systems. Financial Times, January 15

US whisky tariffs will stay as trade talks falter
Ministers have given up hope of striking an eleventh-hour deal with the Trump administration to end crippling whisky tariffs costing the industry £30 million a month in lost exports. Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, announced last month that Britain would suspend tariffs that were imposed on American products as part of a longstanding EU-US trade conflict. The post-Brexit move was designed to pave the way for the US to reciprocate and drop its 25% tariffs on Scottish whisky exports which have so far cost the industry more than £300 million in lost sales. But with less than a week before President Trump leaves office the US is understood not to have tabled an offer. It means that while the UK has lifted a swath of tariffs on US products, those imposed by America on the UK will remain. Senior figures have warned that removing the taxes is unlikely to be a priority for Joe Biden’s administration. The Times, January 15

Fake news causing UK South Asians to reject jab
Fake news is likely to be causing some people from the UK’s South Asian communities to reject the Covid vaccine, a doctor has warned. Dr Harpreet Sood, who is leading an NHS anti-disinformation drive, said it was “a big concern” and officials were working “to correct so much fake news”. He said language and cultural barriers played a part in the false information. A GP in the West Midlands told the BBC some of her South Asian patients had refused the vaccine when offered it. Dr Sood, from NHS England, said officials were working with South Asian role models, influencers, community leaders and religious leaders to help debunk myths about the vaccine. Much of the disinformation surrounds the contents of the vaccine. He said: “We need to be clear and make people realise there is no meat in the vaccine, there is no pork in the vaccine, it has been accepted and endorsed by all the religious leaders and councils and faith communities.” BBC news, January 15

Biden unveils $1.9tn coronavirus stimulus
Joe Biden has unveiled a $1.9tn coronavirus relief proposal, aimed at urgently combating the pandemic and the economic crisis it has triggered. As the US faces its deadliest stage of the pandemic, Biden described the moment as “a crisis of deep human suffering”. The ambitious, wide-ranging plan includes $160bn to bolster vaccination and testing efforts, and other health programs and $350bn for state and local governments, as well as $1tn in relief to families, via direct payments and unemployment insurance. “There’s no time to waste,” Biden said. “We have to act and we have to act now.” The Guardian, January 15

N Korea shows new submarine-launched missile
North Korea has unveiled a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile, described by state media as “the world’s most powerful weapon”. Several of the missiles were displayed at a parade overseen by leader Kim Jong-un, reported state media. The show of military strength comes days before the inauguration of Joe Biden as US president. It also follows a rare political meeting where Mr Kim decried the US as his country’s “biggest enemy”. Images released by North Korean state media showed at least four large black-and-white missiles being driven past flag-waving crowds. BBC news, January 15

150,000 arrest records wiped in tech blunder
More than 150,000 fingerprint, DNA and arrest history records have been wiped off police databases in a technology blunder, The Times can reveal. The error may allow offenders to go free because biometric evidence left at crime scenes will not be flagged up on the Police National Computer. Crucial intelligence about suspects has also vanished and the software error threw Britain’s visa system into disarray. The processing of applications was suspended for two days. Sources said that more than 150,000 arrest records were accidentally deleted during a weekly “weeding” session to expunge data. Thousands of DNA and fingerprint records were also removed because the databases holding them were connected to the PNC, which is owned and operated by the Home Office. The error last week was attributed to a software bug. Deliberate activity, such as a cyberattack, has been ruled out. The Times, January 15