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The UK on Sunday eased travel restrictions for India by moving the country from its "red" to "amber" list, which means fully vaccinated Indian passengers will no longer be subjected to a compulsory 10-day hotel quarantine on their arrival in Britain. The Department of Health and Social Care (<keyword id="6960776" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="DHSC">DHSC</keyword>) has confirmed that all arrivals from India who have been vaccinated in India, which is on the amber list as at 4 am local time on Sunday, are required to isolate at home or their designated location mentioned on the compulsory locator form. While the requirement for a compulsory 10-day self-isolation in a government-approved facility at an additional cost of 1,750 pounds per head will no longer apply, only travellers vaccinated in the UK or Europe would qualify for an exemption of the home quarantine requirement. We recognise there are a large variety of COVID-19 vaccines being administered worldwide and work is ongoing to determine which non-UK vaccines and certification solutions to recognise, a DHSC source said. There had been some speculation over <keyword id="9617748" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covishield">Covishield</keyword>, the <keyword id="95879" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Serum-Institute-of-India">Serum Institute of India</keyword> made <keyword id="9610841" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="oxford/astrazeneca">Oxford/AstraZeneca</keyword> vaccine, being considered within the wider UK-approved vaccines ambit. However, the government has clarified that the India-made version of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine so far approved by the UK's Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is branded as Vaxzevria and that is the only one currently recognised under the exemption rules. Under the legal rules for countries on the amber list of the UK's traffic light system, passengers must take a COVID test three days before departure and book in advance for two COVID tests to be taken upon arrival in England as well as complete a passenger locator form on arrival. On arrival in England, the passengers must quarantine at home or in the place they have confirmed as their location for 10 days and take a COVID-19 test on or before day two and on or after day eight. Under-18s and those fully vaccinated in the UK are exempt from the home quarantine, as well as those who have received both jabs in the <keyword id="6355123" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="eu">EU</keyword> and US. Also exempt are those fully vaccinated in the UK or under the UK vaccine programme overseas; under 18 on the day you arrive in England and resident in the UK or in a country with a vaccination programme approved by the UK; and part of a UK-approved vaccine trial . All regularly scheduled international flights remain suspended. However, under a bilateral agreement between the UK and Indian governments, a limited number of flights between India and the UK continue to operate. Airlines have reported a massive surge in bookings soon after the announcement of India moving off the Red List was made on Wednesday, a move overwhelmingly welcomed by the Indian diaspora in the UK hoping for India visits during the ongoing summer break in the country. India has been on the Red List since end-April when the Delta variant was at its peak, which meant an effective ban on travel except for returning British residents who had to self-isolate in a government-sanctioned hotel at a considerable additional expense. The update of the travel list this week came alongside an announcement that the cost for solo travellers from destinations still on the Red List staying at a quarantine hotel will go up from August 12, from 1,750 pounds to 2,285 pounds. The charge for an additional adult sharing a room will increase from 650 pounds to 1,430 pounds. According to the government, this is to "better reflect the increased costs involved". SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/education/news/planning-to-study-in-the-uk-these-are-a-few-scholarships-available-for-international-students/articleshow/85103227.cms">Planning to study in the UK? These are a few scholarships available for international students</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/retrospective-tax-putting-an-end-to-a-long-standing-controversy/articleshow/85124726.cms">OPINION: Retrospective tax — Putting an end to a long-standing controversy</a>

United Kingdom eases travel restrictions for Indians

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Health minister Lord Bethell met with Randox five times, but only one meeting was declared.</li><li>Randox was the firm at the heart of the Owen Paterson scandal, paying him £100,000 a year as a consultant.</li></ul>Health minister Lord Bethell planned to meet with the firm at the heart of the Owen Paterson scandal four more times than previously disclosed, internal emails released by the government suggest.The government was forced on Thursday to publish internal documents on the relationship between health ministers and Randox, a firm that provided COVID-19 tests after being awarded a £133 million contract.Paterson, then the MP for North Shropshire, was a paid consultant for the firm, on a £100,000-a-year salary at the time. The documents show the extensive lobbying Paterson did of then-health secretary Matt Hancock and then-health minister Bethell.They reveal four further meetings were on the books between Bethell and Randox that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has not revealed until now, despite the requirement to publish the details of such meetings on a quarterly basis.Only one meeting, on April 9, 2020, has ever been recorded between Bethell and Randox, with Paterson present. But internal correspondence sets out plans for Randox to attend a further four meetings with Bethell:<ul><li>The weekend of April 4 and April 5 2020, Randox's managing director Peter Fitzgerald is listed scheduled to have a 15 minute call with Bethell. There is no confirmation that the call took place, however transparency records for that weekend show many of the other calls in the same list occurred.</li><li>Fitzgerald was present at a call on April 8 2020 with the Testing Taskforce, but neither Fitzgerald nor Randox appear in the transparency register for this meeting. </li><li>On May 12 2020, following a briefing call on May 13 for Bethell officials say they will organise a call with Randox on May 14. "The actual conversation should be kept very small [...] plus a lawyer present with a detailed note being taken," one official writes. While planning the call with Randox on May 11 2020, Bethell's private secretary says Bethell had indicated he hoped for a "1:1 with Owen Paterson beforehand as well (who I understand is a consultant employed by Randox".</li><li>There is a reference to a call, via Microsoft Teams, between Bethell and Randox on August 7 2020 to discuss a letter sent by Fitzgerald to Hancock on August 6 2020.</li></ul>Insider asked DHSC if these meetings did go ahead, as outlined in the emails, but DHSC declined to confirm any details on what happened to the meetings.<div type="image" title="Lord Bethell email" height="736" width="1022" msid="89356332" hostid="261"></div>There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Randox.Insider has seen emails from the Good Law Project to DHSC regarding other seemingly missing ministerial meetings, first queried in November 2021, with the Good Law Project yet to receive a proper reply by February 2022, despite assurances from the press office of a response "asap."The opposition has called for the government to clarify the status of the meetings.Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner MP, told Insider: "This scandal gets murkier by the minute. After months of delay and denial, the government has shown us that there were meetings between Ministers and businesses that won multimillion pound contracts that they did not declare."When disgraced Tory politicians meet Tory donors in private and millions of pounds of taxpayers' money is spent, the public will want to know what was said."The department and Lord Bethell must correct the record of ministerial meetings immediately with full details."Jo Maugham, director of the Good Law Project, told Insider: "Recording your meetings for the public record isn't that hard. So when ministers consistently fail to do it you do rather scratch your head and wonder why."That question is particularly acute when the transparency they are dodging relates to highly controversial awards of sizeable public contracts to those with political connections."Bethell's meetings have previously failed to be declared in government transparency registers. 27 meetings held with companies that went on to win £1.14 billion of government contracts were not declared properly, <a href="https://bylinetimes.com/2021/06/30/health-minister-lord-bethell-failed-to-declare-27-meetings-held-at-outset-of-pandemic/">Byline Times reported</a>.Bethell also claimed that texts with a different firm, Abingdon Health, could not be disclosed as they had been made on a private phone that had been lost. He later said the phone was broken. He also deleted messages but thought they had been backed up, <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/covid-contracts-lord-bethell-thought-deleted-messages-were-backed-up-gpd6tf65j">The Sunday Times reported</a>.

Health minister had meetings on the books with the firm at the heart of the Owen Paterson scandal 5 times but only declared one meeting

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="2980743" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Matt-Hancock">Matt Hancock</keyword> appointed <keyword id="11512668" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gina-coladangelo">Gina Coladangelo</keyword> to the UK health department board in September 2020.</li><li>She was, unusually, hired outside of another hiring process for non-executive directors.</li><li>The government defended its handling of the hiring, including deleting job ads linked to the roles.</li></ul>The British government defended deleting details on the appointments process for department board members, following scrutiny of the non-executive director (NED) system in Whitehall.It stems from criticism around the hiring of Gina Coladangelo, an aide to former Health Secretary Matt Hancock who was revealed to be his lover in a tabloid newspaper sting.Uproar over video showing the two kissing in his ministerial office - a breach of social-distancing regulations - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-health-secretary-matt-hancock-resigns-amid-scandal-2021-6?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">led to Hancock resigning</a>.During Hancock's tenure, Coladangelo was given a job as a NED for the health department with unusual speed.At the same time, department officials ran a slower hiring process for four other NED vacancies, only one of which was filled.NEDs are paid £15,000 ($20,600) for 15 to 20 days of work a year.The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published ads for the job on August 19, 2020, with an expected closure date of September 11, <a href="https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200831054452/https://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/appointment/non-executive-board-member-nebm-department-of-health-and-social-care/">according to a copy of the ad stored by the National Archives</a>.Coladangelo was appointed on September 1, before the initial application period was due to end.By September 17, <a href="https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200917115035tf_/https://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/">the page was taken down</a>.Old links to it - such as one on the DHSC <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:6701776180254687232/">LinkedIn page</a> - automatically redirect to the public appointments homepage. It means the government is no longer hosting a record of any details on the timing of the application process or who was on the interview panel. As <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2021/07/21/matt-hancock-in-new-sleaze-row-over-hiring-of-gina-coladangelo-14966856">reported by Metro.co.uk</a>, campaigners questioned the integrity of the process that saw Coladangelo put on the government payroll while others were still being invited to apply.The Good Law Project, a campaigning group, <a href="https://goodlawproject.org/news/ministers-ignored-government-recruitment-process-gina-coladangelo/">said</a> the timing "raises serious concerns that Matt Hancock may have bypassed his own department's recruitment process to fast-track the appointment of Gina Coladangelo."The page advertising the NED jobs said that applicants needed the "professional credibility and authority to challenge DHSC leaders" and must have the "highest standards of personal propriety in relation to governance, accountability, risk and financial management".<a href="https://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/faq/">According to the Cabinet Office</a>, which oversees NED hiring, all appointments are "subject to a fair, open and transparent recruitment process."In a statement to Insider, the Cabinet Office defended removing the ad pages. It said they were taken down because NED roles are not regulated appointments, and therefore get deleted automatically.A DHSC spokesperson declined to comment on the details of the recruitment process.Peter Riddell, the Commissioner for Public Appointments, is responsible for regulated appointments. He has previously spoken of his "concerns over lack of transparency in unregulated public appointments".The Committee on Standards in Public Life called for regulation of the appointment process for NEDs in their June report, <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/993233/Committee_on_Standards_in_Public_Life_-_Standards_Matter_2_-_Report_of_Findings.pdf">Standards Matter 2</a>.Hancock remains a backbench MP. In a letter accepting his resignation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he believed Hancock's "contribution to public service is far from over."

UK government defends deleting all trace of job vacancies after appointing Matt Hancock's lover to health department board

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Although you freeze milk for up to six months, use it sooner for the best taste and texture.</li><li>Always thaw milk in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.</li><li>Thawed milk can successfully be used in soups, sauces, smoothies, and in most baking recipes.</li></ul>Freezing perishable grocery staples before their expiration date is a smart way to maximize your <keyword id="11894142" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="food" source="Orion">food</keyword> budget, as well as minimize food waste. Milk is one perishable that can be frozen. But you may notice some changes to textural components, says<a href="https://in.mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/412582#:~:text=https%3A//drexel.edu/cnhp/faculty/profiles/TroutRosemary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Rosemary Trout,</a> DHSc, program director and assistant professor of culinary arts and food science at Drexel University. For this reason, says Trout, frozen and thawed milk is best used in recipes, rather than for drinking.<h2>Types of milk you can freeze</h2>According to Trout, both whole milk and low-fat milk can be frozen. As a general rule of thumb, milk with a higher fat content, such as whole milk, will separate more when thawed than milk with a lower fat content, such as skim milk. To remedy this, simply shake or blend the milk before adding to recipes.<h2>How to freeze milk</h2><div type="image" title="Milk ice cubes on a cutting board a white wooden table." height="667" width="889" msid="88017146" hostid="261"></div>While Trout states frozen milk is technically safe to store for up to six months, it's better to leave it for no longer than three in order to maintain the smooth texture.To freeze milk, transfer it from the container it was purchased in, like a plastic jug or carton, to an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-food-storage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">airtight freezer-safe container</a>. Leave at least an inch of headspace, (empty space at the top), to allow for expansion, place the lid back on, and seal.Trout says that you can use any container with headspace, however, she prefers to use smaller containers, which allow you to more closely control expansion. Square or rectangular plastic freezer <keyword id="11898263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="storage" source="Orion">storage</keyword> containers work well for this. Keep frozen milk in the freezer until you're ready to use it, then move it to the fridge, and thaw overnight.You can also use <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-ice-cube-tray" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ice cube trays</a> to freeze small quantities of frozen milk you plan to add to recipes. "This way you won't have to worry about breaking a container during expansion," says Trout. To freeze milk in cubes, pour the milk into the ice cube tray. When milk cubes are frozen solid and easy to remove (typically after three to four hours). Then take them out of the tray, and store them in a heavy-duty zip-top storage bag in the freezer.Quick tip: Don't freeze milk in a glass bottle. "It may crack if the milk expands," says Trout.<h2>How to thaw and use frozen milk</h2><div type="image" title="Glass of banana smoothie on white wooden background from top view." height="664" width="885" msid="88017147" hostid="261"></div>It's important to follow safety guidelines for safe food storage temperatures when using frozen milk. First and foremost, in order to prevent harmful bacterial growth, thaw milk in the refrigerator overnight, not at room temperature. "In the refrigerator, [the temperature] should never be more than 41 degrees Fahrenheit," says Trout. Thawed milk can then be added directly to a dish as part of the cooking process, she says.Trout also encourages people to keep in mind that freezing and thawing may affect the sensory attributes of milk, such as taste and texture. "Milk is a complex food system and components change over time," she says.These changes might include recrystallization of fat, expansion of water, or crystallization of lactose. Recrystallization of fat may result in thawed milk tasting less rich and appearing yellow rather than white, while crystallization of lactose may cause it to taste less sweet. Expansion of water can result in a grainier liquid when milk is thawed. Trout recommends using thawed milk in other formulated foods, like soups, sauces, smoothies, or in similar recipes where changes can easily be masked by other flavors and textures. <h2>Insider's takeaway</h2>Freezing milk before its expiration date is a smart way to stretch your grocery budget. Milk can be safely frozen for up to six months, but in order to enjoy a high-quality product, it's best to use it within three months after freezing. It's also important to note that the taste and texture of milk may change as a result of the freezing and thawing process.Store frozen milk in small containers with ample headspace, or space at the top, in order to allow for expansion. Thaw frozen milk in the refrigerator, and then use the thawed product in your favorite soup, smoothie, sauces, or baking recipes.

Can you freeze milk? Yes, but use it within three months for the best texture and taste.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The rollout of the UK's <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> <keyword id="7313056" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Contact-tracing">contact tracing</keyword> system has been beset by problems, including data breaches, delays and confused trainees. </li><li>A contact tracer <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/20/no-one-had-any-idea-contact-tracers-lack-knowledge-about-covid-19-job">told The Guardian</a> that a virtual training session had one teacher for around 100 trainees, where "nobody really had any idea" what the job was about. </li><li>He passed one shift, at a rate of around $12 per hour, being told to wait for further instructions. None came.</li><li>Another trainee told the paper that she had been unable to log in for three days.</li><li>It is unclear if these problems are widespread across the 21,000 contact tracers being trained. The Department for Health and Social Care has <a href="https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhealthmedia.blog.gov.uk%2F2020%2F05%2F20%2Fdhsc-response-to-misleading-guardian-coverage-on-contact-tracers%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">issued a blog</a> in response to the claims.</li></ul>Contact tracers being paid $12 an hour in the UK described a chaotic training process and sitting about doing nothing because they can't log in, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/20/no-one-had-any-idea-contact-tracers-lack-knowledge-about-covid-19-job">according to The Guardian</a>. The UK is currently training 21,000 contact tracers for an app that has been beset by delays. The government hopes it will help provide an exit route for the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.However, the project is struggling already, and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has admitted that it will not be ready by the promised time of mid-May. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-covid-19-contact-tracing-app-walkthrough-2020-5?r=US&amp;IR=T#youre-able-to-back-date-when-you-started-experiencing-symptoms-10s-10">The contact tracing app</a> is being tested on the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England, home to some 140,000 people. The app notifies people if someone they came into contact with has reported coronavirus symptoms.If an infection is confirmed, people are instructed to speak to a contact tracer, who is meant to identify people who may be infected and advise them to quarantine.If the system worked perfectly, it would mean everyone else could live normally, while only those who come into contact with infected people are restricted to quarantine.The DHSC has contracted several companies to undertake recruitment and training of contact tracers. Contact tracers being trained by one company, Sitel, told The Guardian that virtual training sessions were chaotic, and poor preparation for their work.Sources described online sessions with one trainer for around 100 people, whom many people were unable to hear properly.<div type="image" title="Matt Hancock" height="600" width="1200" msid="75850064" hostid="261"></div>One trainee, who asked to remain anonymous, told the newspaper that he had been hired via a generic-sounding vacancy via a recruitment website, after verifying he had the correct software.The vacancy was for a "Customer Service Adviser" rather than specifically for a contact tracer.He told the newspaper: "[The trainer] said at one point, 'does anybody know what this job is about?' No one really had any idea.""After the full day of training, people were still asking the most basic things," said the trainee. Nonetheless, his first shift was scheduled for the next day.He said that trainees were directed to YouTube when they asked what to do if a bereaved person called them.Upon starting his shift the next day, he was told to wait for further instruction — which did not come for the whole day. He was assured he would still be paid for the day, he said. The rate for contact tracers is £10 an hour, or around $12. Another source, also unnamed, told The Guardian that she had not been able to log in to the system for three days. <div type="image" title="NHS contact tracing app 1" height="1516" width="3032" msid="75850068" hostid="261"></div>It is not known how widespread these problems are. <a href="https://healthmedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/05/20/dhsc-response-to-misleading-guardian-coverage-on-contact-tracers/">An official government response to the story</a> did not deny the claims that the training had been chaotic.In the post, the department said that contact tracers are recruited through a combination of online assessments and telephone screening, and also have to provide evidence they have the right to work and a clear criminal record.Any work requiring clinical expertise would only go to those with the right experience, the post said."Staff are trained on a vast range of areas," said the response. It listed "data security; customer service; safeguarding vulnerable children and adults; operating procedures; and when to escalate issues they may spot in their work safeguarding the community among other matters."The post said that contact tracers would not be expected to make calls while they are still being trained. "It is not the case that any of them have been expected to start work without appropriate training for the role," it said.YouTube advice, said the post, was not part of the training and would be investigated.The rollout of the UK's contact tracing process has also been exposed to two embarrassing data breaches. On May 13, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-leaves-plans-contact-tracing-app-open-google-drive-2020-5?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">plans for the app</a> were left on a publicly-accessible Google Drive.Additionally, the email addresses of 296 contact tracers were accidentally revealed when another contractor, Serco, sent a single email to the whole group and failed to hide their addresses from one another, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52732818">the BBC reported</a>. Serco told Business Insider that it has apologized but said it saw no reason to refer itself to the Information Commissioner, the UK watchdog for data protection. <h2><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/20/no-one-had-any-idea-contact-tracers-lack-knowledge-about-covid-19-job">Read the full report at The Guardian</a></h2>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-contact-tracers-chaotic-training-process-with-sitel-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

The UK is paying contact tracers $12 an hour to do nothing because of chaotic training and problems as banal as not being able to log in

The COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer and AstraZeneca are less effective against the Delta variant of coronavirus compared to the Alpha variant, according to a study led by researchers at the <keyword id="150557" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="University-of-Oxford">University of Oxford</keyword>. The researchers, however, noted that with Delta, <keyword id="9749560" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pfizer-biontech-vaccine">Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine</keyword> and Oxford-AstraZeneca preventive, known as Covishield in India, still offer good protection against new infections. Two doses of either vaccine still provided at least the same level of protection as having had COVID-19 before through natural infection, they said. The researchers analysed 2580,021 test results from nose and throat swabs taken from 384,543 participants aged 18 years or older between December 1, 2020 and May 16, 2021. They also analysed 811,624 test results from 358,983 participants between May 17, 2021 and August 1, 2021. The yet to be peer-reviewed study found that the people who had been vaccinated after already being infected with COVID-19 had even more protection than vaccinated individuals who had not had COVID-19 before. However, Delta infections after two vaccine doses had similar peak levels of virus as those in unvaccinated people, the researchers said. With the Alpha variant, peak virus levels in those infected post- vaccination were much lower, they said. "We don't yet know how much transmission can happen from people who get COVID-19 after being vaccinated -- for example, they may have high levels of virus for shorter periods of time," said Sarah Walker, a professor at the University of Oxford. "But the fact that they can have high levels of virus suggests that people who aren't yet vaccinated may not be as protected from the Delta variant as we hoped. This means it is essential for as many people as possible to get vaccinated," Walker said. The researchers, including those from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) in the UK, also found that a single dose of the Moderna vaccine has similar or greater effectiveness against the Delta variant as single doses of the other vaccines. Two doses of <keyword id="9653140" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="pfizer-biontech">Pfizer-BioNTech</keyword> have greater initial effectiveness against new COVID-19 infections, but this declines faster compared with two doses of Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine, they said. Results suggest that after four to five months effectiveness of these two vaccines would be similar, however, the researchers said long-term effects need to be studied. According to the study, the time between doses does not affect effectiveness in preventing new infections, but younger people have even more protection from vaccination than older people. "The fact that we did not see any effect of the interval between first and second doses, and the greater effectiveness of having had two doses, rather than one dose, supports the decision to reduce this to eight weeks now Delta is the main variant of concern in the UK," said Koen <keyword id="11890265" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pouwels">Pouwels</keyword>, senior researcher in Oxford University. "While vaccinations reduce the chance of getting COVID-19, they do not eliminate it. More importantly, our data shows the potential for vaccinated individuals to still pass COVID-19 onto others, and the importance of testing and self-isolation to reduce transmission risk," Pouwels said. The study compared protection from infections from COVID-19 vaccines before and after May 17, 2021, when Delta became the main variant in the UK. It also looked in detail at how effectiveness changes over time as well as other factors like previous infection. Simon Clarke, Associate Professor at the <keyword id="143442" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="University-of-Reading">University of Reading</keyword> in the UK said the real-world data of how two vaccines are performing show the Delta variant has blunted the effectiveness of both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs. "Of particular concern, the AstraZeneca vaccine's effectiveness is reduced substantially by Delta and it appears to offer no more protection than what someone would get from having COVID-19 and building some natural immunity," Clarke, who was not involved in the study, said. "The Pfizer jab provided greater initial protection than the AstraZeneca one, but then after around five months the level of immunity dropped to about the same level seen for both of the vaccines looked at," he added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/netflix-rolls-out-spatial-audio-support-for-iphone-and-ipad-heres-what-it-means/articleshow/85448483.cms">Netflix rolls out Spatial Audio support for iPhone and iPad – here’s what it means</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/android-auto-will-replace-with-google-assistant-driving-mode-in-android-12-phones/articleshow/85447812.cms">Android Auto on phone screens will not be available on Android 12</a>

Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines less effective against Delta variant, says a Oxford University study

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Police officers in the UK now have the power to check if people are self-isolating when told to do so.</li><li><keyword id="6380867" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="boris-johnson">Boris Johnson</keyword>'s government has agreed to give police more robust powers to crack down on people who fail or refuse to self-isolate after catching the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> or are close contacts of those with the virus.</li><li>Police will be given access to details of individuals on a "case-by-case basis."</li></ul>The UK police will have the power to check on individuals who have been told to self-isolate as Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government tries to crack down on people flouting coronavirus law.The UK government's Department of Health and Social Care has agreed to provide the National Police Chiefs Council with information on individuals who have been told to isolate on a "case-by-case basis," <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-police-granted-access-to-details-of-people-told-to-self-isolate-by-test-and-trace-12106988" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sky News reports.</a>People in the UK who test positive for the coronavirus are required by law to self-isolate for 10 days after first displaying symptoms, or for 10 days after getting their result if they are asymptomatic. Members of their household are required to self-isolate for two weeks.Johnson's government has given the police the power to check to see if individuals are self-isolating in a bid to deter people from ignoring instructions enshrined in law. They will have access to the names, addresses, and contact details of individuals who do not comply with the requirement to self-isolate.A spokesperson for the department told Sky <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">News</keyword>: "It is a legal requirement for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts to self-isolate when formally notified to do so."The DHSC has agreed a memorandum of understanding with the NPCC to enable police forces to have access on a case-by-case basis to information that enables them to know if a specific individual has been notified to self-isolate."The memorandum of understanding ensures that information is shared with appropriate safeguards and in accordance with the law. No testing or health data is shared in this process."A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs Council told Sky News that officers would "engage with individuals to establish their circumstances, using their discretion wherever it is reasonable to do so."With the UK descending into a second wave of the coronavirus, there are concerns that the contact tracing system developed by the UK government to contain the spread of the virus is not reaching enough people to be effective.The National Health Service Test &amp; Trace <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2020-10-15/covid-nhs-test-and-trace-records-worst-weekly-performance-despite-local-councils-efforts-in-reaching-contacts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this week</a> recorded its worst-ever performance in tracking people who had been in contact with someone with the virus, according to new data.The system reached just 62.6% of people who had been in close contact with people who had tested positive for the virus in the week ending October 7.

Boris Johnson's government has given the police stronger powers to access people's contact details and check if they are self-isolating under tougher coronavirus rules

Two doses from either the Oxford/AstraZeneca or the <keyword id="44612" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword> vaccine are over 80 per cent effective in preventing infection from the B1.617.2 variant of COVID-19, first discovered in India, a new UK government study has reportedly found. The Oxford/AstraZeneca two-dose vaccine is also being produced by the <keyword id="95879" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Serum-Institute-of-India">Serum Institute of India</keyword> as <keyword id="9617748" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covishield">Covishield</keyword> and being administered among the adult population in India to protect against the deadly virus. The UK findings are said to be based on data from Public Health England (PHE) and have also revealed that the two doses provide 87 per cent protection from the B.117 variant, first discovered in Kent region of England and also considered highly transmissible. According to The Telegraph' newspaper, the latest study's findings were presented to a meeting of the government's New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) this week. The latest PHE statistics released earlier this week show that case numbers of the B1.617.2 variant had risen by 2,111 over the past week to hit 3,424 cases across the country. "I think it's clearly growing, which anyone can see from the numbers as they are reported week by week, Dr Jeffrey Barrett, director of COVID-19 genomics at the Sanger Institute, told the BBC. "If I had to put a guess today it would be 20 or 30 per cent rather than 50 per cent (more infectious than the Kent variant). But there is still uncertainty, 50 per cent might be a reasonable worst case scenario," he said, in reference to the rate of transmissibility of the variant of concern (VOC) first detected in India. Meanwhile, PHE officials are also closely monitoring a variant under investigation (VUI) in the Yorkshire region of England, which is showing high transmissibility. It comes as the <keyword id="163818" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Health-Service">National Health Service</keyword> (NHS) further expanded its vaccination programme and announced that it will open bookings for people aged 32 and 33, adding to the over-34s cohort, from Saturday. NHS England said that the third expansion of eligibility in just one week comes as over four in 10 adults have now had both jabs. Only days after we extended the offer of a vaccine to 34 and 35 year olds, we are now rolling out the invite to 32 and 33 year olds - an incredible step forward in the biggest and most successful vaccination programme in NHS history, said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock. This is truly a testament to the heroic work of our amazing NHS and care staff, volunteers and local authorities across the country who have helped deliver over 50 million jabs at lightning speed across England, keeping us on track to offer a vaccine to everyone by July, he said. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has, meanwhile, said that it is ramping up testing and genome sequencing of sewage and waste water in the drive to track and trace all variants of COVID-19, including the B1.617.2 variant. A new laboratory in Exeter, south-west England, opened last month dedicated to analysing wastewater, making it one of the biggest wastewater processing labs in the world. Increased genomic sequencing of sewage samples are expected to provide more clues to where variants of concern may be circulating undetected in communities. It can pick up evidence of variants from infected people and continue to monitor sewage after surge testing has ended in an area. Sequencing wastewater samples provides an additional detection system for variants of concern, enabling us to respond more effectively to outbreaks and better protect citizens, said Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency Dr Jenny Harries. This innovative programme supports the work of Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace to help us understand where the virus may be circulating undetected, she said. Wastewater samples are taken from around 500 locations in England and sent to the laboratory at Exeter Science Park. Environment Agency scientists analyse the samples to quantify the amount of COVID-19 present. As infections fall and we head out of national restrictions, analysing wastewater to detect variants early on is important to help local authorities and NHS Test and Trace act quickly to stop variants from spreading in communities, said Programme Lead at the Joint Biosecurity Centre Dr Andrew Engeli. The experts said that without the need to rely on individuals coming forward for swab tests, this kind of monitoring in a catchment area is able to pinpoint outbreaks to smaller areas and neighbourhoods. There are also pilots analysing the wastewater from specific institutions, such as within the food supply chain and prisons. SEE ALSO <a target="_blank" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/esper-an-android-based-development-platform-raises-30-million-as-pandemic-accelerates-adoption-of-intelligent-devices/articleshow/82822560.cms">Esper, an Android-based development platform, raises $30 million as pandemic accelerates adoption of intelligent devices</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/the-number-of-working-women-in-india-has-been-steadily-declining-heres-why/articleshow/82823052.cms">The number of working women in India has been steadily declining, here’s why</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/indian-government-asks-whatsapp-to-scrap-its-privacy-policy-calls-it-unfair-and-discriminatory/articleshow/82796725.cms">Indian government threatens legal action against WhatsApp’s new privacy policy – WhatsApp refuses to back down</a>

UK study states that Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is 80% effective against B1.617.2 variant of the Coronavirus

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The UK government writes to pharmaceutical firms urging them to stockpile medicine for next year.</li><li>The health department advises firms to stockpile six weeks' worth of supplies for the end of the Brexit transition period.</li><li>The letter comes amid concern that the combined strain of the coronavirus and leaving the EU's single market and customs union will lead to delays at the border.</li><li>The pharmaceutical industry industry earlier this year warned that Covid-19 had "used up entirely" some supplies.</li></ul><keyword id="6380867" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="boris-johnson">Boris Johnson</keyword>'s government has written to the UK pharmaceutical industry urging it to stockpile six weeks' worth of medicine supplies to make sure firms do not run out after the Brexit transition period comes to an end.In a letter to ministers, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-no-deal-brexit-government-medicine-stockpiling-a9651991.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported by The Independent newspaper</a>, the UK department of health and social care's Steve Oldfield advises firms to stockpile over a months' worth of medicine to provide a "buffer against some disruption."The letter comes amid fears that new checks at Britain's borders with the European Union from January will lead to delays in medicine reaching the UK from Europe. As of January, the UK will no longer be in the EU's single market and customs union, resulting in new regulatory and customs checks on a range of goods crossing the channel.<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52959639" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An industry memo to the UK government leaked in June </a>warned that the nation's medicine supplies were precarious heading into 2021, as some stockpiles had been "used up entirely" in the response to the coronavirus outbreak.The memo, prepared for ministers in May, warned there would "less or zero product available in the market to allow for stockpiling a broad range of products" than there was during preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit last year.UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamBienkov/status/1271487845597958145?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in June told Business Insider</a> he was "absolutely confident" that there would not be a shortage of medicine supplies due to the combined strain of Covid-19 and the end of the Brexit transition period.However, in its letter to the industry, the government says that firms should aim to stockpile "to a target level of six weeks' total stock on UK soil" to avoid medicines running out."To build upon past work and ensure a coordinated approach, we will be asking suppliers to confirm their contingency plans for the end of the [transition period], and in particular the balance between stock-holding in the UK, rerouting away from the short straits and readiness for new customs and border arrangements," the letter says."We recognise that global supply chains are under significant pressure, exacerbated by recent events with Covid-19."However, we encourage companies to make stockpiling a key part of contingency plans, and ask industry, where possible, to stockpile to a target level of six weeks' total stock on UK soil."DHSC stands ready to support companies with their plans if required and understands that a flexible approach to preparedness may be required that considers a mixture of stockpiling and rerouting plans as necessary."<div type="image" title="Matt Hancock" height="2400" width="4800" msid="77352503" hostid="261"></div>The UK government hopes to mitigate some of the disruption brought about by leaving the EU's single market and customs union by negotiating a new free trade deal with the EU in time for January 2021. However, the UK and EU are struggling to make a breakthrough in talks, with both sides accelerating preparations for there being no agreement in place by the start of next year.Commenting on the letter, member of Parliament Layla Moran, who is running to be the next leader of the Liberal Democrats, told Business Insider: "It is chilling to hear that as the country braces itself for a second wave of coronavirus later this year, we also risk facing shortages of vital medical supplies due to a no deal Brexit."The government must not put its Brexit ideology ahead of people's lives."Ministers should carry out an urgent impact assessment of how No Deal would affect the country's ability to cope with a second wave. The public and businesses cannot be kept in the dark any longer."

Boris Johnson's government urges pharmaceutical firms to stockpile six weeks' worth of medicine to prepare for leaving the EU without a trade deal

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Over 31 millions doses of the coronavirus vaccines have been distributed in the US as of January 31, according to the <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations">CDC</a>.</li><li><keyword id="25205" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="doctors">Doctors</keyword> Syra Madad, Komal Bajaj, and Saskia Popescu explain that despite this progress, <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> prevention doesn't stop at immunization.</li><li>Immunity takes time and none of the vaccines are 100% effective, so the doctors say it's important to maintain safety precautions during this time.</li></ul>Years <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03626-1">of scientific inquiry</a> have culminated in the development of several vaccines against SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. Vaccines are a great and effective tool to prevent infectious disease and in the past year, we've made a tremendous achievement in developing two efficacious vaccines.<div type="image" title="DFreeman_NewYorkMag_DrMadad003.JPG" height="1862" width="2483" msid="80656436" hostid="261"></div>Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have demonstrated a remarkable <a href="https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines">94-95% efficacy</a> at decreasing symptoms and severe COVID-19 infection.Several other vaccines are currently in phase 3 clinical trials and preliminary data suggests promising efficacy as well. <div type="image" title="Saski Popescu" height="218" width="291" msid="80656437" hostid="261"></div>With the availability of vaccines, conversations around herd immunity have grown, but the truth is that vaccination is merely one of many that make a holistic response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after vaccination, it is important for individuals to continue infection prevention measures. These strategies include masks, social distancing, hand hygiene, and avoiding crowds/confined spaces, all of which are known to curb the spread of COVID-19 until a large portion of the population has been vaccinated.Beyond these interventions though, there are a few other reasons why COVID-19 prevention doesn't just stop at immunization.<h2>1. Immunity takes time </h2>Vaccines are currently administered using a two-dose regimen several weeks apart. For the Pfizer vaccine the shots are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-covid-vaccines-compare-cost-astrazeneca-oxford-pfizer-biontech-moderna-2020-11">administered three weeks apart</a>. For Moderna, it's four weeks apart. The full protective benefits of the vaccine and for your body to develop immunity against SARS-COV-2 will take two weeks after the administration of the second dose.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/radiologist-alabama-covid-pfizer-vaccine-shares-what-it-was-like-2020-12">I'm a radiologist in Alabama who just received the Pfizer vaccine. I've seen firsthand the serious effects of COVID-19 on people's lungs, so I had zero reservations about getting the shot.</a><h2>2. The vaccine is effective, but not 100%</h2>While the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use in the US reported a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-covid-vaccines-compare-cost-astrazeneca-oxford-pfizer-biontech-moderna-2020-11">94.1% (Moderna) and 95% (Pfizer)</a> efficacy after two doses in controlled clinical trials, in the real world, the effectiveness of the vaccine may be comparable or lower given how vaccines may be stored and handled. An efficacy of 95% means that it is anticipated 5%, or one in 20 vaccinated people, may not develop immunity and therefore, could still be susceptible to SARS-COV-2 infection. Nonetheless, an efficiency of 94% and 95%, respectively, is a remarkable achievement and on par with some of the most effective vaccines like chickenpox and measles.<h2>3. It's unclear how long immunity lasts</h2>Though it seems like an eternity, the COVID-19 pandemic began just over a year ago. The participants in vaccine trials will be followed to learn more about how long immunity might last.<div type="image" title="Dr. Komal Bajaj." height="1353" width="1805" msid="80656438" hostid="261"></div>While there's multiple variants of SARS-COV-2 circulating, vaccines are developed with mutations in mind. Researchers and public health teams keep a close eye on COVID-19 surveillance to monitor for potential variants that might impact immunity and see if changes to current vaccines or booster shots are needed but what we can do now is to continue the intervention strategies that are effective. Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moderna-asks-fda-approve-more-doses-covid-vaccine-vial-cnbc-2021-1">Moderna is seeking FDA approval to increase doses in each COVID-19 vaccine vial, reports say</a><h2>4. Whether someone who has been vaccinated can still infect others is unknown</h2>It is possible that those who have been vaccinated may still carry the virus without showing symptoms if infected, and could still be able to spread it to others. Vaccine trials largely tracked those that got sick from COVID-19, leaving open the question as to whether vaccinated individuals who didn't develop symptoms might silently spread the virus. More data is being gathered to shed further light on this complex question and while the results look promising, it's important we still take precautions to protect those around us. Each of us plays an important role in reducing COVID-19 spread and stopping this global pandemic. One thing we can all do is to learn more about vaccines, have honest conversations about the science behind them, but also to continue following all the intervention measures - masks, great hand hygiene and social distancing - that have curbed spread. Syra Madad, DHSc, MSc, MCP is an infectious disease epidemiologist, senior director of the system-wide special pathogens program at NYC Health + Hospitals, health and safety lead at the Enhanced Investigations Unit of NYC Test &amp; Trace, and fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.Komal Bajaj, MD, MS-HPEd is chief quality officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi and professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.Saskia Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC is an infectious disease epidemiologist and assistant professor at George Mason University.

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Boris Johnson's government urges pharmaceutical firms to stockpile six weeks' worth of medicine to prepare for leaving the EU without a trade deal

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