Thread by @Telegraph

🔴 Alok Sharma says the Government will be distributing £2.2bn to councils to support through loans.

He adds that the Kickstart scheme has created 19,000 jobs.

All the updates from the Government briefing in this *thread* ⬇️
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

The Business Secretary welcomes this week's positive progress on the Pfizer vaccine, but warns "we still have a lot of hurdles to come".

He urges the public to continue following the guidance.

"The virus is still there, it is still a danger," he says
telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/11/0…

Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England, says the vaccine news is "extremely encouraging" but says while it might feel as though "the cavalry is coming" people must continue to follow the restrictions
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

Replying to a question from the public, Alok Sharma says the national lockdown will end on December 2 and we will move back into the tiered system.

He adds Boris Johnson will set out more details closer to the date
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

Powis is asked about the decision to stop procedures to deal with Covid.

He says they could see health systems coming under pressure around the world and testing was more limited at the first wave, so it was critical to create capacity within the NHS
telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/11/1…

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telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…