Dr fauci says one shot johnson johnson vaccine approved two weeks

Allowing teachers to award grades to pupils this summer is "as good a compromise as we can come to" following the cancellation of formal exams, Boris Johnson has said. The prime minister described this year's system for awarding A-level and GCSE grades in England - as well as some vocational and technical qualifications - as "durable" and the "right way forward". Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world With the government aiming to avoid a repeat of last year's grades scandal - which saw a moderating algorithm ditched after widespread complaints it unfairly downgraded pupils' grades - teachers have been told to base students' grades on a range of evidence. This includes mock exams, coursework, essays and in-class tests. Advertisement Schools will also have the option of using assessment questions provided by exam boards to help decide what grades to award, although the assessments are not expected to take place under exam … [Read more...] about COVID-19: No exams and teacher-assessed grades ‘as good a compromise as we can come to’, says Boris Johnson

Britons are more likely than any other nationality to take up the offer of a coronavirus vaccine - while the French are the most sceptical. A global survey conducted in mid-January about vaccinations against COVID-19 found that around 81% of UK respondents said they would get their jabs. In France, just 44% of respondents said the same. Second most likely were the Danes at 79%, followed by 70% of Dutch people. Japan, Singapore and Germany showed weaker confidence - although they were still more willing than the French - with 46%, 48% and 54% of participants respectively saying they would get inoculated. Coronavirus vaccines head-to-head The research, carried out by Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) and YouGov, is part of a global monitoring project on attitudes toward the vaccines. Advertisement It looked at 15 countries, mostly in Europe and did not include the USA or any countries in South America … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Britons most likely to take up vaccine offer, while French remain sceptical

Fraudsters are trying to cash in on mistakes made by the EU's coronavirus vaccination campaign by offering millions of scam jabs to member states. The bloc's anti-fraud agency OLAF said around 900 million vaccines have been pitched to several countries for €12.7bn (£11bn). These offers were said to be made by "alleged intermediaries," prompting OLAF to investigate. Pharmaceutical companies involved in making vaccines against COVID-19 say they sell to governments direct only. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world Advertisement The 27-nation bloc has struggled to get its vaccination programme off the ground, taking longer to initially approve the jabs and running into procurement issues further down the line. On Thursday, leaders will discuss via videoconference further action on the bloc's strategy, as well as how best to protect their 450 million citizens from new COVID variants . More from Covid-19 … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Anti-fraud probe as EU nations are offered 900 million ‘ghost’ jabs for €12.7bn

Boris Johnson has raised hopes of a ‘normal’ summer by announcing plans to lift all Covid restrictions in England by June 21. The Prime Minister set out a four-step easing of restrictions starting with the return of all children to school and social mixing outdoors ( see below ). He predicted that the success of the vaccine roll-out meant: “Today the end really is in sight”. Mr Johnson told MPs: “A wretched year will give way to a Spring and a Summer that will be incomparably better”. He later added that the “crocus of hope is poking through the frost”. But in a dramatic shift in tone, he stressed that his approach must now be “cautious” to avoid a fourth national lockdown. And he admitted that he could not guarantee that the measures would be “irreversible” - although he wanted them to be. What is your view? Have your say in the comments section Tory MPs have urged him to lift measures by April 26 now that more than 17.7m people have received their first Covid … [Read more...] about ‘Normal’ summer hope for Brits as lockdown to end on June 21 after 4 key steps

HOPES are rising for millions of drivers that fuel duty might NOT rise in next week's Budget following The Sun's Keep It Down campaign. Mr Sunak is under pressure to keep the freeze on fuel duty rises as he searches for ways to fill his Covid black hole. Pleas not to hike fuel duty — backed by The Sun’s Keep It Down crusade — come as a new eco-petrol is sanctioned for use at UK pumps. Ministers signed off plans for E10 — a mix of petrol and ethanol made from materials including grains, sugars and waste wood — from September. The cut in emissions will be like taking 350,000 cars off our roads. Hopes of Rishi keeping fuel duty down come after The Sun revealed how more than two dozen Tory MPs have written to him urging him not to raise fuel tax in his Budget. They say Boris Johnson made a pledge in 2019 not to increase the hated levy and breaking the vow would betray voters. The 26 Conservatives - including former ministers Tracey Crouch, Esther McVey , … [Read more...] about Hopes rising for millions of drivers fuel duty might NOT rise in Budget after Sun’s Keep It Down campaign