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News

A Year On, How Pandemic Still Creating Havoc for The UK And Europe

It has been exactly a year since the world was hit by a deadly health disaster which affected everything around us. The Covid-19 pandemic ravaged lives and livelihoods and restricted the world to be indoors. The UK had to go through three national lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus, and the restrictions crippled public-facing industries.

A recent study has found that the restrictions during the three lockdowns have cost the economy a whopping £251 billion. The study conducted by the Centre for Economics and Business Research found that gross value added (GVA), which is an estimation of all the goods and services created in an economy, without including the raw materials and input costs required for the delivery of the same, was less by over £250 billion than what was estimated in the pre-pandemic times.

Some of the poorer parts of the UK were the worst affected, however, London managed to safeguard itself. London’s contribution to the UK’s GVA was only a little less than a quarter of the country’s GVA, but it suffered 20.5 per cent of the losses. This was possible because sectors like insurance and finance and communication and information – London’s mainstays – managed to work out of homes smoothly. A separate study has found Britain’s economic recovery could get compromised because of a lack of digital skills as the number of young people taking IT courses declined sharply in the last one year.

The third wave:
And it is not just the UK that is struggling with the pandemic. Europe is staring at a probable third wave, and to contain its spread, authorities in various countries have begun reimposing lockdowns and restrictions.

France Prime Minister Jean Castex imposed a lockdown for a month in Paris and other areas where cases were going up. It has allowed essential businesses and schools to function. Italy, which was one of the worst affected countries last year, has brought out fresh restrictions as cases increased. All areas with over 250 cases per 100,000 people would be declared red zones and are under strict restrictions. The whole country would be in lockdown at the Easter weekend. Italy’s weekly average of new cases has been on the rise since March and has been reporting over 360 deaths each week.

Germany has also announced an extension of lockdown till 28 March. Bars, sports and leisure venues, restaurants have remained shut since November. The government has begun easing restrictions since 8 March. Areas with a smaller number of cases would be allowed to reopen non-essential services.

Vaccination rollout:
Europe’s Covid crisis has been exacerbated by complications over the vaccination drive. Several countries have discontinued using the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as fears spread over blood clots among recipients. However, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany have since then said they would resume its use; the vaccination rate in Europe is not yet on the level as that of the US.

PM Boris Johnson has warned that a similar third wave as is being seen in Europe could soon strike the UK. He said that past experiences have taught us that when neighboring countries get affected by a sudden wave of infection, it does not spare the UK either and may affect it even severely. He said that he has been in touch with the European nations.
He added that the UK is committed to a quick and fast vaccination programme but highlighted that vaccination drives are essentially international programmes and do require cooperation on an international level.

On Saturday, a total of 844,285 first or second doses were given to people, which was up from 711,157 given last Friday. Over 27.6 million people, which is more than half of UK’s adult population, have been vaccinated with at least one dose.

The UK’s health ministry recently announced that it was working to come up with a new testing technology. The new technology would be able to identify whether positive samples have any of the more dangerous variants and could help in getting faster results.

Known as the genotype assay test, it could reduce the detection time by half and used along with normal testing procedures to identify cases rapidly.
As part of lockdown easing norms, the UK government is also now focused on reigning in new variants. As part of its plans, once a strain gets identified, increased contact tracing and testing could be deployed to contain the spread.

Both Europe and the UK are struggling with the pandemic and currently the new strains. Not only the health infrastructure is strained, but the pandemic is draining the economic resources of countries. But the biggest challenge for the UK and Europe is getting enough vaccine jabs. Europe has threatened to withhold vaccine shots for the UK by rejecting AstraZeneca’s export authorization to the UK till the company fulfils its delivery commitments to the EU. This bitter war over vaccination rollout could make relations between the two countries acrimonious.

By Kunal Sawhney, CEO, Kalkine Group

Holidays, News, Travel

Five essential checks for drivers going on staycations

With Brits soon able to go on staycations around the country, many will be about to embark on long-distance car journeys for the first time in many months. However, before they take to the roads, it’s important that motorists conduct a number of basic checks to ensure their car is safe.

Vehicles that have not been used for long periods of time can sometimes develop dangerous issues and faults, such as locked breaks and damaged tyres, and even if nothing appears to be wrong with the car, motorists should be cautious when using their car for a long journey for the first time in months.

To help drivers ensure their car is roadworthy as lockdown restrictions are eased and UK hotels and holiday sites re-open, Euro Car Parts has compiled a list of five things to check before returning to the wheel.

Check the battery

When cars are unused for a long period of time, it’s likely that the battery will lose charge due to remaining idle. Before getting back on the road again, you will need to ensure that the battery is fully charged and in good condition.

Firstly, physically inspect the battery to check that there isn’t any damage to the wiring or signs of corrosion on the terminals. Once you have done this, you’ll need to check that it is still holding its charge. This can be done by using a car battery tester. If you don’t have a battery tester or you’re unsure what to do, then visiting your local independent garage is the best course of action.

Before embarking on a car journey a couple of hours long, you’re best making sure that your first journey is 20-30 minutes long, as this will allow the alternator to fully charge the battery. It’s also recommended to use things that consume power, such as the radio or air conditioning, as little as possible at first.

Check the tyres

If a car has been resting in the same place for a long time, the parts of the tyre in contact with the floor may have become deformed, cracked or damaged.

You will need to inspect the tyres before driving again, so look for signs of bulging, as well as flat spots, cracking and damage to the wall of the tyre. If you notice any damage to your tyres, you should fit a temporary wheel and drive to your local garage for a replacement.

You’ll also need to check that the tyre’s air pressure is within the levels specified in the car manual. This can be done using a tyre pressure gauge, which can be used at home or at your nearest petrol station.

Refill the fluids

Vehicle fluid levels, including windscreen wash, brake fluid, coolant and engine oil, may have reduced while your car has been inactive, so you’ll need to check that they are all topped up. If you’re unsure of the correct level, check the owner’s handbook.

You should also conduct a visual check to ensure that there are no signs of fluids leaking underneath the car. Additionally, keep an eye out for any damage or foreign objects under the bonnet. It sounds unlikely but rodents can sometimes make a nest in a car and can cause damage to the wiring.

Test the brakes

When left unused, a car’s brakes may start to seize up, and in some cases, they can begin to corrode, so it’s vitally important that you drive very cautiously and avoid high speeds on your first journey. The brakes may not be as responsive as they were on the last drive and they will take time to return to normal, so driving with caution should be exercised.

Begin your journey by pulling away slowly and safely. You can then start to pick up the speed but continue to drive slowly until you’re certain that braking has returned to normal. If you notice any issues, you should consult your local independent garage as soon as possible.

Air out the car

A very simple task, but an important one, nonetheless. When you use your car for the first time in a while, you’ll want to air it out to get rid of any unpleasant smells that have built up. This is especially true if you accidentally left any rubbish or food in the car before locking it away.

Simply open the vehicle’s doors for a few minutes to let the musty air escape. It’s important to state that you should not leave your car unsupervised with the doors open and under no circumstances should you leave the keys in the car while doing this.

Colin Cottrell, Marketing & Central Operations Director at Euro Car Parts, said: “Many people across the country will be returning to their cars after long periods of inactivity, and it’s only natural that some vehicles will take time to return to normal.

“The number one rule when taking a car out of long-term storage is to be extremely cautious. Visual and physical checks should be conducted where possible before getting behind the wheel, and you should drive slowly and carefully until you’re absolutely sure that the car is back to normal.”

For cars in need of a bit of TLC and maintenance coming out of the lockdown, click here for a range of products such as batteries and engine oil: https://www.eurocarparts.com/