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Page2 03 9771362 343166 ALL YOUNEED TO KNOW ABOUT EVERYTHING THATMATTERS theweek.co.uk 2 NEWS The main stories… What happened What the editorials said Variants and vaccines You’d think agovernment electedonapledge to“take back control” of Britain’s borders would show some urgency when Ministers announced toughnew restrictions there was actually aneed to do so,said The on travel into the UK this week, as concerns Independent. Not thisone. When newsofa mounted over new coronavirus strains. The highly infectious new Covid strain in “travel corridors” allowing people from certain southeast England emerged last month, Brazil countries to enter Britain without the need to quicklybanned all UK flights. Yet when quarantine were closed from Monday, and all Brazil’s own new variant started wreaking travel from SouthAmerica has now been havoc in South America, Boris Johnson only banned. The travel ban – which came into force acted after fivedays of dither and delay.It on Friday and also applies to Portugaland has been a“shambles”, said the Daily Mail. Cape Verde–was aresponse to the emergence Britons have endured “policeharassment for of anew Covidvariant identified in Brazil. sittingonpark benches duringlockdown”. Scientists have raised concerns thatthe strain – Yet only this week didthe Government as wellasanother variant circulating in South introduce therequirement that arrivals into Africa – could threaten the efficacy of vaccines. the UK must show anegativeCovid test Afirst dose may not protect before being allowedentry. It’s onlydownto Although the UK recorded 1,820deaths on sheer luck that the “super-strength” Brazilian Wednesday – its highest daily total of thepandemic –case strainhasn’t yetbeen detected on British soil. numberswere beginning to fallaslockdown measures took effect and the vaccine roll-outcontinued. By Wednesday,the Actually, the PM’s reluctance to close our bordersisjustified, UK had inoculated4.2 million people; in England, over-70s said The Daily Telegraph. While awarinessofanything that were due to begin receiving offers of vaccines this week. The could jeopardise the vaccine is understandable, the fact is that roll-out has also been rapid in Northern Ireland, but slightly Britain “relies on global links for its prosperity”. Johnson must less quick in Wales and Scotland. now seek to reopen our borders at the earliestopportunity. What happened What the editorials said Biden takes the helm Biden is taking charge at “the most tumultuous moment for America in living memory”,said The Times. The US is battling Joe Biden was sworninasthe 46th president of the USon bitter political divisions, adeep economic downturn, and a Wednesday,inapared-down ceremony Covid crisis that has claimed more than marked by unprecedented security. Some 400,000 lives.Biden also faces the task of 25,000 members of the National Guardwere rallying “a fractured West to confrontan on hand to protect the US Capitol, which was increasinglyassertive Chinaand amenacing stormed byprotesters earlier this month. Russiaindefence of theinternational order”. Biden – at 78, the oldestoccupant of the Oval It’s quite a challenge, agreed The Wall Street Office – used his inaugurationspeech to call Journal.With luck,Biden will be remembered again for unity. “Without unity there is no as “the man who calmed the Trump-erafuries”. peace,” he said. Last week, he announced a But thatwill require him toreach outtothe 74 $1.9trn package ofeconomicstimulus and million Americans who voted forTrump and coronavirus relief. He also unveiled a slew of to resist the “divisive progressive domination executiveorders, which included rescinding sought by his party’s left”. Trump’s ban ontravellers from some Muslim-majority nations,rejoining the Paris Biden has got offtoabold start, said The New climate accord,and mandating mask-wearing Biden: going big YorkTimes. His $1.9trn fiscal relief package on federal property. shows hehas learned fromthe 2008financial crisis, when the federal government’s response was “too small In abreak with more than 150 years of tradition, Trump and ended too soon”. Democrats regretted that move,said the skipped theinauguration. Beforeleaving office, he granted FT, believingitundermined the recovery andhurtBarack 143 pardons and commutations. Among the beneficiaries Obama badly in the subsequent midterm elections.“Politically, were formeraide Steve Bannon andrapper Lil Wayne. then, as much as economically, Bidenhas reasontogobig.” It wasn’tall bad The residents of atown in Anew battery for electric cars Wiltshire have been trying that takes only five minutes to Anew Google project called to brighten up lockdown charge has been produced on Blob Opera promises to allow life, by decorating their anormal production line at a people who cannot sing anote homes and front gardens factory in China. The lithium-ion to create their own operatic with images of spring. battery was designed by the masterpieces. The programme The Hope Springs Eternal Israeli firm StoreDot, to reduce (freely available online) features project in Malmesbury – the “range anxiety” felt by the recorded voices of four population 5,000 –was electric car drivers. To fully opera singers –abass, tenor, dreamt up by Jackie Peel, charge the batteries in five mezzo and soprano –who are amarketing consultant, minutes requires ahigher- represented as aseries of as she contemplated the powered charger than those coloured blobs. The user then removal of the town’s used at public points today. drags them around the screen Christmas lights trail, which However, the company reckons to alter the pitch, harmonies had raised spirits over the festive period. Plans for the project were that by 2025, its batteries will and vowel sounds. “It’s beyond discussed on Facebook, and locals of all ages, including Brownies be able to get 100 miles’ worth brilliant,” said Wasfi Kani, the and care-home residents, have been creating displays of paper of charge in five minutes using AM FROST/GUARDIAN/EYEVINE CEO of Grange Park Opera. flowers, pompoms, painted butterflies and fairy gardens. available infrastructure. ©S COVER CARTOON: HOWARD MCWILLIAM THE WEEK 23 January 2021 …and how they were covered NEWS 3 What the commentators said What next? You wait almost ayear for anew coronavirus variant to turn up, said Paul Nuki in The Sunday To iron outregional Telegraph, and then three come along at once–“each alittle faster, fitter andstronger” than disparities in the roll-out, the last. Andwhile the UK variantled to asurge incases and has thrown the NHS into crisis, vaccine doses are tobe it’s the strains from abroad that are really worrying scientists. In SouthAfrica, variant 501.V2 diverted toareasfalling has fuelled a“ferocious second wave”. And in Brazil, the P1 variant is causing “carnage” in the behind in inoculating the city ofManaus, which was thought to have reached herd immunity after ahuge Covid outbreak over-80s. HealthSecretary last year. The fear, saidAdam Kucharski in theFT, is that the variantscould allow the virus to Matt Hancockpromisedthat evade antibodies –thereby opening the door to reinfection or rendering vaccines less effective. people in that group who have yet to be vaccinated Still, it’s not all doom and gloom, said TomWhipple in The Times: the UK is now vaccinating would be contacted within 70 people every 30 seconds, with 200,000-300,000 jabs delivered daily. Only three countries in four weeks. Government the world have vaccinated ahigher proportion of their populations than Britain, which is the advisers urged people not to best performer in Europe “by some distance”. Sure, there are disparities between the pace of the “drop their guard” and not roll-out in differentparts of the country. But for now, it seems the vaccine story is “that British to increase social contact Covid-19 rarity:one wherethe Government appears to have underpromised