News

News 3^rd February
Sad news – Captain Sir Tom dies
He raised over £30 million pounds by walking with his zimmer.  He caught the virus himself and has died in hospital.  Boris says he is a true hero.
Concerns over new versions of the virus
The Government wants to test everyone in a list of places – in London, Kent and areas in the north.  That is, 80 thousand people.  They are worried about the South African version.  Today they say there could be another version in Bristol and Liverpool.  And there may be another “surge” testing there as well.  This means that they will ask all people over-16 to take tests – even if they have no symptoms.
Big problems at Larne port in Northern Ireland
Staff who work there have to check the boats and lorries for the food coming in.  This is part of the Brexit deal.  EU is making sure food does not get smuggled into Ireland.  Now all the staff have been threatened.  They have stopped checking the lorries because they are frightened.  It looks like a group collects the staff car numbers.  People are worried they will be attacked or their families.  They have stopped the checks at Larne and also Belfast.  The Ulster Unionist party is against these checks – they say it is like a border between them and the UK.
Sputnik vaccine is successful
The Russian vaccine called “Sputnik” is 92% successful against the virus.  Research now agrees.  It is like the Oxford vaccine but the first and second doses are different.  Health experts were not convinced at the start but the research is positive.  The Sputnik vaccine is used in places in Russia and also Argentina, Hungary and Iran.