This week’s coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic from Research Professional News
UK
An organisation supporting collaboration between businesses and universities has welcomed government plans for a £2 billion Kickstart Scheme to create thousands of jobs in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
At least 13 universities are at risk of going bust without a personalised government bailout, while Covid-19 losses across all universities could reach around £19 billion, according to an analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. And the chancellor of the exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has failed to offer assurances that no universities will be allowed to go bust as a result of the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government’s proposed Covid-19 contract-tracing app lacks clarity of purpose, a leading ethics expert has said.
A Royal Society Covid-19 advisory group has called for transparent access to data on coronavirus infections acquired in hospital to enable vital research to prevent a second wave.
Europe
The Germany presidency of the Council of the EU, which is organising the EU-related activities of member state governments from July until December, has revealed that its priorities for research and innovation revolve around resilience, sovereignty and sustainability.
Organisations representing young researchers and universities have published updates setting out areas of ongoing concern stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, and potential future developments that need to be planned for.
Around 80,000 international students have left Germany due to the Covid-19 pandemic—20 per cent of the total—according to a survey by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
The proposed EU health programme for 2021-27 should include funding antibiotics research among its activities, the MEP leading on the programme legislation for the European Parliament’s budgets committee has said.
Worldwide
President Donald Trump has provoked widespread criticism from global leaders in health and academia by formally notifying the United Nations that he would withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization.
Scientists around the world are downbeat about their post-coronavirus careers, according to a flash survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, with women in particular feeling the pinch.
Africa
Budget cuts caused by the coronavirus pandemic will have an “enormous impact” on research in South Africa, the head of the country’s universities umbrella organisation has said.
Pan-African law firm Centurion says it has been hired to institute legal action against Abbott Laboratories, a United States-based medical products company, for allegedly failing to meet orders of Covid-19 test kits made by African companies.