Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

'We will beat this together', says Johnson as Britain starts mass Covid-19 vaccination

BRITAIN began the mass-vaccination of its population against Covid-19 on Tuesday(8), becoming the first Western nation to do so in a global endeavour that poses one of the biggest logistical challenges in peacetime history.

Prime minister Boris Johnson welcomed the start of the vaccination programme and thanked health workers, scientists and people who had volunteered for testing.


"We will beat this together," Johnson said in a message on social media, and urged the public to continue to follow guidance aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus.

On a day dubbed 'V-Day', health workers started inoculating people with a shot developed by Pfizer and BioNTech , with the country a test case for the world as it contends with distributing a compound that must be stored at -70C (-94F).

Britain is the first country globally to begin mass inoculations with that vaccine, one of three shots that have reported successful results from large trials after being developed in record time.

Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old grandmother from Britain, was the first person in the world to receive the vaccine outside of a trial following its rapid clinical approval.

Health minister Matt Hancock described the start of vaccinations as 'V-Day'. "If we manage to do that for everybody who is vulnerable to this disease, then we can move on and we can return to normal," he said.

The launch will fuel hope that the world may be turning a corner in the fight against a pandemic that has killed more than 1.5 million people and crushed economies.

Britain, the worst-hit European country with over 61,000 deaths, has ordered enough supplies of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot to vaccinate 20 million people. The developers said it was 95 per cent effective in preventing illness in final-stage trials.

Russia and China have both already started giving domestically produced vaccine candidates to their populations, though before final safety and efficacy trials have been completed.

In Britain, about 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week, with care home residents and carers, the over-80s and some health service workers prioritised.

"The deployment of this vaccine marks a decisive turning point in the battle with the pandemic," said Simon Stevens, head of the publicly funded NHS health service.

In total Britain has ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech shot. As each person requires two doses, that is enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million.

But the country is spreading it bets and has ordered 357 million doses of seven different Covid-19 vaccines in all.

More For You

Air India flight crash
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Getty Images

Air India crash probe finds fuel to engines was cut off before impact

Highlights

 
     
  • Fuel to both engines of the Air India flight was cut off seconds before the crash
  •  
  • A pilot was heard questioning the other over the cut-off; both denied initiating it.
  •  
  • The Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people.
  •  
  • Investigators are focusing on fuel switch movement; full analysis may take months.

FUEL control switches to both engines of the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff were moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position seconds before the crash, according to a preliminary investigation report released early Saturday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chinese vessel tracked in Bay of Bengal after disabling identification system

The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have consistently reported Chinese research vessel presence. (Representational image: Getty Images)

Chinese vessel tracked in Bay of Bengal after disabling identification system

A Chinese research vessel was detected operating in the Bay of Bengal near Indian waters while attempting to conceal its presence by disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS), according to a report by The Economic Times, citing French maritime intelligence firm Unseenlabs.

The French company conducted a 16-day satellite-based survey tracking ships through radio frequency emissions. It monitored 1,897 vessels, with 9.6 per cent showing no AIS activity, indicating attempts to avoid detection. The survey raised concerns amid increased Chinese activity in the region.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian-inspired garden earns
five awards at Hampton Court

(From left) Malcolm Anderson (RHS, head of sustainability) Clare Matterson (RHS director general), Lorraine Bishton (Subaru UK and Ireland, managing director) Andrew Ball (director, Big Fish Landscapes) Mike McMahon and Jewlsy Mathews with the medals

Asian-inspired garden earns five awards at Hampton Court

BRITISH Asians are being encouraged to take up gardening by a couple who have won a record five medals at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

“It’s a contemporary reimagining of a traditional walled garden, highlighting the British and Irish rainforests,” said Jewlsy Mathews, who was born in Britain of parents from Kerala, a southern Indian state known for its lush vegetation.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk weather

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England

iStock

England faces widespread heat alerts and hosepipe bans amid rising temperatures

Highlights:

  • Amber heat health alerts in place for large parts of England
  • Hosepipe bans announced in Yorkshire, Kent and Sussex
  • Temperatures could reach 33°C over the weekend
  • Health risks rise, especially for elderly and vulnerable groups

Heat warnings in effect as UK braces for another hot weekend

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England, with temperatures expected to climb to 33°C in some areas over the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated the warning at 12 pm on Friday, with it set to remain in place until 9 am on Monday.

The alerts cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, south-east, south-west, East of England, and London. Additional yellow alerts were issued for the north-east, north-west, and Yorkshire and the Humber, starting from midday Friday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Essex ladybird invasion

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear

Dee-anne Markiewicz / SWNS

Swarms of ladybirds invade Essex coastline amid soaring temperatures

Highlights:

  • Ladybird swarms reported across Essex and Suffolk coastal towns
  • Hot weather likely driving the sudden surge in population
  • Sightings include Point Clear, Shoebury, Clacton and Felixstowe
  • Similar outbreaks occurred in 1976 during another hot UK summer

Sudden surge in ladybird numbers across the southeast

Millions of ladybirds have been spotted swarming towns and villages along the Essex coast, with similar sightings stretching into Suffolk. Residents have reported unusually high numbers of the red and black-spotted insects, particularly near coastal areas, with the recent hot weather believed to be a major contributing factor.

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear, a village near St Osyth in Essex, where the insects could be seen piling on top of each other on driftwood and plants.

Keep ReadingShow less