‘China hackers hit’ US vaccine maker; curbs back in UK

Moderna, which announced its vaccine candidate in January, confirmed it had been in contact with the FBI and was made aware of the suspected “information reconnaissance activities” by the hacking group.

Chinese government-linked hackers allegedly targeted Moderna Inc, which is developing a Covid-19 vaccine, in a bid to steal data, a US security official tracking Chinese hacking has claimed. Beijing later firmly rejected the accusation.

Moderna, which announced its vaccine candidate in January, confirmed it had been in contact with the FBI and was made aware of the suspected “information reconnaissance activities” by the hacking group.

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In the UK, scientists at Imperial College London said they are immunising hundreds of people with an experimental coronavirus vaccine in an early trial after seeing no worrying safety problems in a small number vaccinated so far.

Curbs were reimposed in north England on Friday and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hit the brakes on further easing of lockdown measures from August 1 after a surge in cases in the UK. But ministers insisted it did not mean a “return to lockdown”.

Criag Whittaker, a Conservative Party MP caused an uproar after blaming Muslims and non-white communities for allegedly not obeying lockdown rules that led to a surge in cases.