Mr. Sunak said the government’s response to the pandemic had shifted from broad nationwide lockdowns to using tracing and testing to intervene at local levels faster. Already, parts of the north of England are under new restrictions. To ensure places for the next generation of workers, the Treasury introduced a program to pay the wages of some young people for six months and promote apprenticeship programs. It also spent more than 53 million pounds ($69 million) last week as part of a monthlong stimulus plan paying for discounts for meals eaten in restaurants and pubs on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. But the effects of these measures could be short-lived if there is a wave of layoffs in the fall.

Source: New York Times August 12, 2020 20:15 UTC