Design thinking project plan

Coronavirus vaccines that have been tweaked to deal with new variants of the disease will be fast-tracked for authorisation, the UK regulator has said. According to new guidance, manufacturers must provide robust evidence that the modified jab triggers an immune response, but lengthier clinical studies that don't offer data on safety or effectiveness won't be required. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Hancock: 'We must be vigilant on variants' The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) says researchers are now in a better position to measure immunity against COVID-19 by monitoring antibodies after vaccination. It claims this will "significantly reduce" the amount of time it takes to get a tweaked jab approved and ready for use. Advertisement And it also means the three-phase safety trials required for the original coronavirus … [Read more...] about COVID-19: UK to fast-track modified coronavirus vaccines designed to combat new variants

Wetherspoons will open patios, beer gardens and rooftop gardens at 394 of its pubs in England from 12 April as COVID-19 restrictions ease, the pub chain has announced. Under the government's roadmap out of lockdown, that will be the date when restaurants and bars will be allowed to serve people sitting outside, under social distancing rules. They will be allowed to open indoors from 17 May. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world Revolution Bars, another chain, said it would reopen 20 venues from April as its boss said "the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter". Advertisement Wetherspoons chairman and founder and chairman Tim Martin has previously argued that the hospitality sector should be allowed to reopen earlier, at the same time as non-essential shops. Its plan for next month will see outside areas open from 9am to 9pm from Sunday to Thursday, and until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays - subject to … [Read more...] about COVID-19: ‘Light at the end of the tunnel’ as pubs and bars announce outdoor area reopening plans

Rishi Sunak "isn't really levelling with people" about painful cuts that will be needed to repair the public finances, according to budget analysis by a respected economic think-tank. Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) director said "Santa Sunak… looks more like Scrooge Sunak" under plans for a squeeze totalling more than £50bn compared to the pre-pandemic outlook. That is the scale of spending cuts and tax rises over coming years compared to what the chancellor outlined in his first budget a year ago - implying a spending outlook that seems "implausibly low", Mr Johnson said. "The chancellor isn't really levelling with people about the choices the government is making to repair the public finances," he added. Mr Johnson characterised the plans outlined by Mr Sunak as a "tale of two budgets" with £65bn more coronavirus-related spending and a "super-deduction" tax break for investment followed by fiscal belt-tightening of £30bn, adding further to a squeeze outlined in … [Read more...] about Budget 2021: Chancellor accused of ‘not levelling with people’ over plans

A HIGH-TECH capsule that could one day take astronauts to the Moon has been unveiled by a US company building space tech for Nasa. Alabama military firm Dynetics revealed its first full-scale model of the lander this week as part of its bid to partner with Nasa on its Artemis mission, which plans to put man on the lunar surface in 2024. The military outfit is one of three companies contracted by Nasa to come up with lander ideas for Artemis. Dynetics said the model, located in Huntsville, Alabama, will be used to test the prototype vehicle, dubbed the Human Landing System. "Our team is pleased to bring this system to life," the firm's Kim Doering said. "Our reusable, sustainable approach is ready to support a safe and successful hardware delivery for Nasa's mission." US President Donald Trump last year urged Nasa to accelerate its latest moon-landing plans by four years to 2024. The request came a few months ahead of the 50th anniversary of the first lunar … [Read more...] about Nasa unveils NEW lunar lander that could put astronauts back on the Moon in 2024

As the coronavirus vaccine rollout continues, with 16 million already jabbed, the country can finally begin to see a way out of the pandemic which put normal life on hold for a year. Rightly, the Government has focused all its efforts on tackling the crisis and saving lives. But when the country emerges from lockdown and the crisis begins to ebb, thoughts will turn to how Tory election promises made in December 2019 – just weeks before Britain's first confirmed Covid-19 case was discovered – can be delivered. Here, Deputy Political Editor Ben Glaze examines the scale of the challenge. Boris Johnson is today urged to deliver on “levelling-up” promises to Northern voters as the country begins to look beyond the coronavirus pandemic. The Prime Minister was warned he owes a debt to Red Wall voters in former Labour heartlands who were seduced by his election pledges on tackling Britain's inequality. The 64-page Conservative Party manifesto contained 11 references to … [Read more...] about Neglected North where ‘even McDonald’s has left’ demands PM delivers on promises