Coronavirus news – live: Shoppers risk fines as face masks become mandatory in England on 24 July
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Matt Hancock will announce on Tuesday that face coverings will become mandatory mandatory in English shops from 24 July, with shoppers risking a £100 fine if they fail to comply.
The prime minister – who was first pictured wearing a mask only days ago – said: “The scientific evaluation of face coverings and their importance on stopping aerosol droplets, that’s been growing, so I do think that in shops it is very important to wear a face covering if you’re going to be in a confined space and you want to protect other people and receive protection in turn.”
His comments came as three people escaped quarantine at a Herefordshire farm – where 200 staff members had been ordered to isolate after 74 infections were identified. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation warned that the coronavirus pandemic had the potential to get “worse and worse and worse” if countries do not follow basic healthcare guidance.
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Woman infects 71 people with coronavirus after one lift trip, researchers claim
A woman has managed to infect at least 71 people with coronavirus after using the lift in her tower block, researchers have claimed.
The traveller, who was said to have been asymptomatic, returned to her home in Heilongjiang province, China, from a trip to the US on 19 March - eight days after the area last reported any new Covid-19 cases.
Our reporter, Chiara Giordano, has the full story below:
Face coverings to be mandatory on public transport in Wales from 27 July
Face coverings will be mandatory on public transport in Wales from 27 July, the country’s first minister has announced.
Mark Drakeford said the change was in part “for the sake of simplicity and consistency” with similar rules used in England.
“Public transport moves across our porous border with England. There, the use of face coverings is mandatory on public transport,” Mr Drakeford told the Welsh government’s daily press briefing.
“And for the sake of simplicity and consistency, as well as being part of our plan to help reduce the risk of transmissions while on public transport where it is not possible to maintain a two-metre physical distance, it will become mandatory in Wales for people to wear a three-layer face covering while travelling on public transport.”
The first minister added that the requirement would cover travelling in taxis, as well as buses and trains.
He said he would not be mandating the use of three-layered face coverings in other public places, but noted this could change depending on the spread of the virus in Wales.
“At this point in time when the prevalence of coronavirus is low, we are not mandating the use of face coverings in other public places,” Mr Drakeford said.
“But many people of course choose to wear them and there is nothing to stop that happening in Wales. Our advice may change if cases of coronavirus begin to increase again.”
Compliance with face coverings in shops ‘extremely high’, Sturgeon says
Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she believes compliance with new guidelines making face coverings mandatory in shops was “extremely high” last week.
“Everything I've seen or heard through social media, through other reports and through my own brief visit to a couple of shops yesterday, everything suggests that compliance with the new law has been extremely high indeed and I want to thank everybody for that,” Ms Sturgeon said.
“It is what I would have expected but nevertheless it is still welcome.”
Her comments came as Scotland recorded no new coronavirus deaths for the fifth day in a row.
Opinion: ‘This pandemic is spreading extremism as well as coronavirus'
London mayor Sadiq Khan has warned of a rise in extremism due in part to increased isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.
In an article for The Independent, Mr Khan called on the government to “step up” and do more to tackle extremists taking advantage of uncertainty and hardship.
He said:
“We know that times of uncertainty and hardship can create fertile breeding grounds for hatred and division as extremists take the opportunity to prey on the vulnerable.
“As more people than ever are at home, isolated and online, I worry that extremists are using this period to promote hate and conspiracy theories on social media.
“Extremists of all persuasions are using the digital landscape as a battleground, where they are seeking to inspire and recruit the vulnerable and disaffected, exploiting and twisting faith and patriotism for their own deadly ends.”
You can find his full piece below:
Matt Hancock promises ‘biggest flu vaccination programme in history’ this winter
Health secretary Matt Hancock has said the UK will see the biggest seasonal flu vaccination drive in history this winter as part of plans to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed if there is a second wave of coronavirus.
“We're going to frankly need to use all of the capabilities at our disposal to deliver the vaccine programmes that we need to in the months ahead,” Mr Hancock told the National Pharmacy Association annual conference.
He added: “We all know that having had an incredibly difficult six months, the next big moment is as winter approaches.
“We're currently planning in detail for winter. And we're expecting high demand and pharmacies will play a critical role.”
Our health correspondent, Shaun Lintern, has the full story below:
Pop-up cycle lanes across London could be made permanent, transport boss says
Most "if not all" of the new emergency cycle lanes built in London in the aftermath of the coronavirus lockdown could be made permanent, the city's new transport boss has said.
Transport for London and the city's borough councils laid down miles of new protected cycle track on the capital's roads this year to provide for commuters who are not using public transport.
Our policy correspondent, Jon Stone, has the full story below:
No new coronavirus deaths in Wales
Wales has reported no new deaths involving people who have tested postive for coronavirus, with the country's total death toll remaining at 1,541.
Public Health Wales said the total number of cases in the country had increased by 25 to 17,045.
Hong Kong tightens social distancing rules after spike in cases
Hong Kong has tightened social distancing rules by banning public gatherings of more than four people and requiring face coverings on public transport following a spike in coronavirus cases.
Restaurants will not be allowed to offer dine-in services from 6pm to 5am, while fitness centres and beauty salons will be closed for 7 days.
Officials have also said they will increase testing to identify asymptomatic carriers of the virus.
The measures, which will take effect on 15 July, came after 41 out of the 52 cases reported in Hong Kong on Monday where found to be locally-transmitted.
Since 6 July, the city has reported 250 new cases, with Monday’s tally being the highest since March.
Global hunger increasing even before pandemic, UN warns
Global hunger was increasing even before the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations has warned, putting its Zero Hunger 2030 target in doubt.
The UN had previously set a target of creating a world free from hunger, malnutrition and rural poverty by the end of this decade.
Our reporter, Chiara Giordano, has more on this breaking story below:
Two lawmakers in Madagascar have died from coronavirus, president says
Two lawmakers in Madagascar have died from coronavirus and at least 25 members of parliament and the senate have been infected since March, President Andry Rajoelina has said.
Madagascar has reported 5,080 confirmed coronavirus cases so far, with just 37 deaths, according to government data.
“One deputy died. A senator died. After the tests carried out on the deputies, 11 members of parliament were detected carrying the coronavirus,” Mr Rajoelina said during a television appearance.
“At the Senate, 14 people, senators and agents of Senate carry the coronavirus.”
He did not say when the lawmakers died and did not name them.
Mr Rajoelina added that he and his family had been taking "Covid Organics", Madagascar's self-proclaimed, plant-based "cure" for Covid-19 which launched in April, despite warnings from the World Health Organisation that its efficacy is unproven.
“It is true that I have been in contact with people likely to carry the coronavirus. I have even entered hospitals that care for patients with Covid-19. I'm fine,” he said.
“I don't carry coronavirus at all. I have no symptoms. Thank God. I follow the directives that I have given myself. But above all, me and my loved ones, my wife and my children, we drink and we follow a treatment based on the Covid Organics concoction.”
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