Britain's race to ramp up vaccination won't prevent surge in cases in coming weeks
December 16, 2021, 5:55 am

Britain's race to ramp up vaccination won't prevent surge in cases in coming weeks

COVID vaccination/Pixabay

The Xinhua reported that experts have said, British government's decision to ramp up vaccination in response to the new COVID-19 variant Omicron will take time to bring any benefit and may not prevent a surge in cases over the next few weeks.

Martin McKee, professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told Xinhua on Tuesday: "Given the very high transmissibility of the Omicron variant and its ability to, at least partially, evade immunity, it should be clear that a rapid response is needed. Instead, we have a policy based almost entirely on increasing vaccination rates that will take weeks to bring any benefit."

The expert said: "This is an inevitable consequence of the disagreements within the ruling Conservative Party. It is a political rather than a scientific decision."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently launched the "Omicron Emergency Booster National Mission" to encourage everyone eligible to "get boosted now."

Everyone aged 18 and over in England will have the chance to get their booster vaccine before the end of the year to combat the threat of rising Omicron variant cases.

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The prime minister has also announced that England will move to "Plan B" amid the rapid spread of Omicron in Britain, including a requirement for millions of people to work from home and mandatory face-mask wearing in a wider range of locations.

Social policy expert Dr Stuart Wilks-Heeg from the University of Liverpool told Xinhua: "The UK government has placed enormous emphasis on vaccines as the means of preventing the need to re-impose COVID restrictions. There was always a risk that a surge in cases could undermine that strategy."

Wilks-Heeg said: "The sudden emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant in the run-up to Christmas has made new restrictions inevitable. Yet, the government's emphasis remains on vaccinations."

He added: "Even with new rules on mask-wearing in public places and COVID passports for large events, it is a race that the UK's National Health Service is likely to lose."

Professor Iain Begg, an expert in politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said: "My view is that the government, under pressure from the medical and scientific advisers, is erring on the side of caution while awaiting more extensive information on the risk from the Omicron variant."

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According to the UK Health Security Agency, Britain reported 78,610 new cases on Wednesday, the highest daily infections since the start of the pandemic, bringing the national caseload to 11,010,286.

Another 4,671 Omicron cases have been confirmed in Britain on the same day, the biggest daily increase since the COVID-19 variant first detected in the country, taking the country's total Omicron cases to 10,017.

The latest data came as England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warned that there will continue to be record numbers of COVID cases over the next few weeks.

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Speaking at a Downing Street news conference, Whitty suggested the country is experiencing "two epidemics on top of one another," one driven by the "very rapidly-growing" Omicron variant and the other by the Delta.

He said: "I am afraid we have to be realistic that records will be broken a lot over the next few weeks as the rates continue to go up."

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.