UK STATISTICS
There have been 18 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and 160,000 people have died, government figures show. Over 52.5 million people have now received a first dose of the vaccine, 91% of people in the UK aged 12 and over. More than 48 million, 85% have had their second and more than 37 million, 66% have had a booster.
*Government case figures now include people in England and Northern Ireland who have tested positive for a second time – after at least a 90-day gap – rather than just first infections.
Total UK Cases: 18,447,706 positive tests
Latest UK daily figure: 54,218 new cases
Number in UK hospital: 12,092 (232 less than on previous day)
New deaths across UK: 199
Total UK deaths: 160,038
England Cases per 100,000: 576
R number in UK: 0.8-1.1
Vaccine data:
Total 1st doses given: 52,531,292 – 91% of UK aged 12+
Total 2nd doses: 85%
Daily 1st doses: 9,091
Daily 2nd doses: 19,482
Daily Booster doses: 57,802
The R value and growth rate
The latest reproduction number (R) and growth rate of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The R range for England is 0.8 to 1.0; the growth rate for England is -3% to +0% per day as of 11 February
COVID-19: estimated administrative vaccine uptake for people aged 18 and over
Daily percentage of the UK population aged 18 and over who have received a first dose, second dose, or third or booster dose to date.
Coronavirus cases in the UK: daily updated statistics
The latest number of coronavirus (COVID-19) tests, cases and deaths in the UK. The way deaths are reported is based on a 28-day limit between the date of a positive lab-confirmed test and date of death.
Latest Cheshire East data:
Total Cheshire East cases: 106,522
New cases in past 7 days: 2,113 to 12 Feb
Total deaths: 1,010
Cases per 100,000: 546.5
UK NEWS UPDATES:
Train services down 20% after Covid slump
More than a fifth of train services that were running before the Covid pandemic have not returned, new data provided to the BBC shows. One month after work-from-home guidance was lifted, some commuters say they are struggling to get to work amid a lack of trains and sudden cancellations. Train operating companies said they are starting to bring back more services. But rail minister Wendy Morton could not guarantee that services would return to pre-pandemic levels. The government says it has spent more than £14bn propping up the railways after passenger numbers, and ticket revenue, collapsed during the Covid pandemic. Omicron dealt passenger numbers a fresh setback at the end of 2021, as people were again asked to work from home if they could. Timetables across the country were cut back again over the winter which train companies blamed on high levels of staff isolation.
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents operators, says 19,500 trains are now running per day, which is equivalent to 79% of overall pre-Covid services. It says that is expected to rise to 85% by the end of the month.
Changing Rooms: many homeowners repurpose rooms following pandemic
More than four in 10 owners have significantly repurposed part of their homes during the pandemic says Zoopla. Amongst the 41 per cent who said they had to make changes, more than half say they have entirely repurposed at least one bedroom whilst one in five households have lost multiple bedrooms. Zoopla calculates that this equates to a whopping 8,856,000 bedrooms that have been ‘lost’ amongst the UK’s 24m privately owned homes during the pandemic. With remote and hybrid working now set to be a mainstay for many, almost half of those who have made changes have created a home office – which equates to over 4.5m across the UK. And of these some 58 per cent say that they plan to permanently keep it.
REGIONAL & LOCAL NEWS:
Transport operators warn against travel during Storm Eunice
Transport operators in the region are calling for passengers to avoid travelling on public transport during weather disruption expected due to Storm Eunice. Train company, Northern, emailed customers on Thursday 17th February, advising train passengers to avoid travelling between 9am and 9pm to avoid disruption on the network expected due to high winds and heavy rainfall and snow being forecast. The train company also confirmed that tickets dated for Friday 18 February will be valid on Northern services on Saturday 19 February to allow passengers to reschedule their trips.
Cheshire East Council closes discretionary Covid-19 grant schemes
The council has paid out over £15 million to businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and closed applications to grants at midnight on 11th February.
NatWest Regional PMI shows regional growth slows in 2022
Despite growth in the region slowing in January as Covid-19 and supply chain disruption took its toll, the region outpaced all others in the rate of job creation.
LSH Auto delivers record performance for Mercedes-Benz Vans
LSH Auto’s vans aftersales business grew 350% in the last 12 months following the launch of an enhanced offer at Mercedes-Benz of Macclesfield. Sales of vans from Stockport and Birmingham dealerships also doubled in 2021.
Revenues rise for Northwest shoe manufacturer as M&S step into a deal
Revenues have risen at footwear brand Hotter as it agreed a partnership with Marks and Spencer to sell its products. In a trading update for the year ended 30 January 2022, its owner Unbound Group said Hotter sales were “significantly ahead” of last year with an increase of 16 per cent to approximately £51.9m from £44.5m. The company said Hotter’s performance, following its transformation to become a digitally led business, also continues to improve. Hotter’s revenues increased by ten per cent in Q4 compared to the same quarter in the prior year, achieving a gross margin above 61 per cent. The performance was achieved despite “headwinds” from Covid-19 and supply chain challenges, although it said the latter “improved and stablished” during the quarter.
SECTOR SPECIFIC CORONAVIRUS-RELATED NEWS:
BUSINESS:
HMRC – February’s Employer Bulletin
The February edition of the Employer Bulletin brings you all the latest HMRC updates and guidance to support employers, payroll professionals and agents. Included in this edition are important updates on changes to HMRC Employer Helpline processes; preparing for your last Full Payment Submission or Employer Payment Summary; reporting expenses and benefits and grossing up benefits and expenses through payroll; registering for Trader Support Service; preparing for Making Tax Digital for VAT – are you ready?
CARE:
COMMUNITY:
COVID-19 vaccination: resources for children aged 5 to 11 years
Information for parents of eligible at-risk children aged 5 to 11 years on COVID-19 vaccination.
EDUCATION:
HEALTH & WELLBEING:
Wider impacts of COVID-19 on health monitoring tool
National monitoring tool that brings together metrics to assess the wider impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19) on health.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey headline results, UK: 16 February 2022
An interim release of latest data from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection survey containing high level estimates for?England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.?This survey is being delivered in partnership with the University of Oxford, University of Manchester, UK Health Security Agency and?Wellcome?Trust. This study is jointly led by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) working with the University of Oxford and Lighthouse laboratory to collect and test samples. These headline results are a temporary publication presented in advance of our fuller, regular weekly bulletin issued at midday each Friday.
COVID-19 vaccination: vaccine product information
Information on the presentation, doses and storage of COVID-19 vaccines – updated vaccine product information; updated Which COVID-19 vaccine? and new Which Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine? posters.
MANUFACTURING:
Reckitt and Nestle warn of price hikes as costs mount
KitKat and Nescafe-maker Nestle has warned it will increase the prices of its products due to the growing cost of producing its goods. Mark Schneider, boss of the food group, said it was “safe assumption” that prices would rise this year.
He said there was “no place” in the company that was “exempt of inflation”.
Reckitt Benckiser, the consumer goods company behind Durex and Dettol, also said prices would rise, but added it hoped to absorb most of the increases.
Reckitt’s costs rose 11% in 2021, but chief executive Laxman Narasimhan said that wouldn’t mean prices rising by that amount, as the company had ways to “mitigate and manage pricing”
TRAVEL:
Barbados outlines new protocols as curfew lifted
On Monday (14 February) the Caribbean Island dropped its 12am to 5am curfew and a new directive put in place offering more relaxed Covid protocols. There is now no restriction of beach activity and parks for locals and tourists, hiking group have increased size to 30 people and pleasure craft and private boats can sail at 100% passenger capacity. Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval can host cricket matches with 80% crowd capacity, while 6ft social distancing rules are no longer being enforced, except when exercising in groups without wearing a mask. The rule changes come as public health officials report around 70% of eligible citizens have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine.
Vietnam reopens to tourists from March
Tour operator sources and the state-run Vietnam News Agency have said the country will reopen three months earlier than originally planned for vaccinated tourists. According to specialist operator InsideAsia Tours, initial requirements are for clients over 12 to be fully vaccinated with a vaccine passport and to have had their most recent dose between 14 days and six months prior to departure. All clients over two must have a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to arrival, stay in an isolation hotel and take an antigen test within the first 24 hours.
Small businesses received £21.3 billion in COVID-19 support from local authority grants 
Two year extension announced for Covid Recovery Loan scheme 
Research finds Covid-19 has not fundamentally changed the UK labour market