Educational inequalities and deprivation have “mushroomed” during the pandemic to such an extent that children in England need long-term aid rather than “quick” initiatives, according to a wide-reaching survey of school and council leaders.
The Local Government Association poll of eight local authorities found schools and councils gravely concerned at the scale of the learning gaps that have appeared, particularly among children with special needs and disabilities, and reports significant pressures on staff and budgets.
New Covid variant detected in India; Dr Fauci concerned about miscommunication around AstraZeneca vaccine efficacy; weekly cases rising in US as total passes 30m
AstraZeneca Plc is likely to release a new, modified statement about its Covid vaccine after a data and safety monitoring board expressed concern that the data in its recent public statement were outdated, U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Wednesday.
Reuters: AstraZeneca said results it published on Monday in which the vaccine had demonstrated 79% efficacy were based on an interim analysis of data through 17 February, and it would now *immediately engage* with the independent panel monitoring the trial to share its full analysis.
AstraZeneca will publish up-to-date results from its major US Covid vaccine trial within 48 hours. It said on Tuesday it had reviewed the preliminary assessment of its full analysis and found it to be consistent with the interim report.
Fauci said he was concerned about miscommunication around Covid vaccine efficacy but was confident a revised statement from AstraZeneca would dispel any confusion about that shot’s effectiveness.
Fauci and Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, both expressed concern about the trajectory of the pandemic during a briefing with reporters, despite a vaccination program that has led to 84 million people in the United States getting one dose of a Covid vaccine.
“We do have a lot of challenges in front of us with regard to the high level of daily infections yesterday being 54,974,” Fauci said. “When you are at that level, I don’t think you can declare victory.”
White House Covid adviser Andy Slavitt said the administration was concerned about the new variant in Brazil and it was having daily discussions with officials in that country.
The United States crossed 30 million coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as states accelerate the vaccination process by lowering age limits, Reuters reports.
Health authorities are racing to vaccinate in the face of the first uptick in new cases on a weekly basis since January. Against the advice of health experts, several states have lifted mask mandates and more infectious variants have also spread across the nation.
Vaccines prove highly protective of healthcare workers; rapid tests unreliable in asymptomatic cases. The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for Covid, the illness caused by the virus. Vaccines highly protective for healthcare workers.
Nationwide is to tell 13,000 of its staff to work where they want when the coronavirus pandemic restrictions are lifted.
The UK’s biggest building society, which has called the initiative Work Anywhere, is to introduce the plan after more than half of employees (57%) said they wanted to work from home full time. More than third (36%) said they wanted a blend of home and office work, while just 6% opted for a return to a five-day week in the office.
Sculpture depicting king of African nation was looted from Benin city in 1897 in ‘extremely immoral’ manner
The University of Aberdeen is to return a controversial Benin bronze after a review found the item had been acquired in an “extremely immoral” manner, as the Nigerian government calls on other British museums to reassess their collections.
The bronze, which depicts the Oba, or king of Benin, was part of a haul of thousands of items taken when British forces looted Benin city in southeastern Nigeria in 1897, and will be sent back “within weeks”, according to the university.
