Coronavirus news: Boris Johnson postpones further lockdown lifting as Scottish people told not to visit areas of northern England
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Boris Johnson has postponed the next stage of easing lockdown restrictions planned for Saturday, which would have seen the return of casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks, indoor performances and wedding receptions for up to 30 people.
The prime minister also announced pilots of sporting events with crowds and gatherings in conference centres will be delayed.
Face coverings will become mandatory in places such as museums, galleries, cinemas and places of worship in England from 8 August, Mr Johnson said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon warned Scottish people not to travel to parts of northern England hit by a spike in coronavirus cases unless their trip is “absolutely essential”.
Her comments come after the UK government imposed tougher lockdown restrictions in the areas affected, with people from different households in Greater Manchester, parts of East Lancashire and West Yorkshire banned from meeting each other indoors again.
The UK health secretary said these new restrictions on gatherings – which were announced shortly before the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Adha – were not aimed at curtailing celebration, but that ”immediate action” was needed in these areas.
Muslim leaders slammed the government for giving ”shockingly short notice” for the ban on different households mixing inside their homes or gardens in parts of northern England.
Eurozone economy shrinks
The eurozone has entered the deepest recession in its history as its economy shrank by 12.1 per cent in the second quarter of the year.
Economists had forecast widely differing falls in GDP of between 8 per cent and 18.5 per cent.
The fall comes after a 3.8 per cent fall in output during January to March as the impact of coronavirus began to be felt across Europe.
Police officers in self-isolation after retirement party
A number of police officers in Blackburn have been forced into self-isolation after an outbreak of coronavirus following a retirement party for a colleague, writes Tim Wyatt.
An unnamed Lancashire Constabulary officer developed symptoms of Covid-19 earlier this month and after taking a test on 21 July was found to be infected with the virus.
Hancock announcement sparked 'chaos', says Nandy
Lisa Nandy, the MP for Wigan, has accused Matt Hancock of sowing chaos in her constituency.
The shadow foreign secretary told Sky News: "Nobody is arguing that the government shouldn't move quickly where evidence exits that there has been a spike in Covid cases, and we have certainly seen that in Greater Manchester.
"So, it's absolutely right that they do this. But I cannot describe to you the level of chaos that there was last night with this announcement.
"Because the government was essentially asking people to comply with new rules in just a few hours time without any detail about what those rules were going to be."
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said the government needs to make sure it has the details ironed out before making announcements like it did last night about new restrictions in the North.
Burnham says ministers should have details of new politics up-front and ready to go
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has said that ministers should have the detail of any changes in lockdown measures at the same time they go in front of the cameras, following confusion over Matt Hancock's announcement last night.
He told Sky News: "I understand how hard this is for government ministers having been one myself.
"I think at the moment they're adopting [what] feels like a new strategy of the minute they see something they are taking decisive action, and I think that's probably the right way to do [it].
"But here's the one caveat I would place on it - they have a habit of saying something and then it being a few hours until the detail emerges.
"And that certainly was the case last night, and later on last night a lot of people I think felt very uncertain about what exactly was being announced.
"So what I would say to them (ministers) is I understand the need to make announcements, I understand the need for decisive action, but when ministers go in front of the cameras, make sure you've got the detail ready to go exactly at the same time."
'At least in April we knew the score'
It is a bit odd to feel nostalgia for the early horrific days of lockdown in March and April but, especially for those of us who find ourselves in the more recently affected areas, it’s a bit inevitable, writes Sean O'Grady.
When the national lockdown was announced, there was a simple message. Ministers appeared every day with senior public health officials to explain what Cobra was up to, what advice the Sage group of scientists had offered, to answer questions, provide evidence and explanation and advice. People got in with it; compliance was high.
This time we get a clip of Matt Hancock standing in the dark in the street telling millions of people - all of Greater Manchester, Bradford, Leicester and other places - that they’re being shut down, sort of. No press briefing; no Chris Whitty; no Commons statement with questions; no sombre TV address; no public information ads. It's hardly a model of how to communicate in a crisis.
Hong Kong's government has postponed the city's key assembly elections, citing an ongoing spike in coronavirus cases.
The election was due to take place on 6 September, and had been seen as an opportunity for pro-democracy parties to win an historic majority amid public dissatisfaction at a new security law imposed by Beijing.
The number of coronavirus infections in the community in England has risen over recent weeks - new data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has suggested.
A statement from the agency said: "Modelling of the rate of new infections over time suggests that there is now some evidence that the incidence of new infections has increased in recent weeks."
Up to 20% of people may have coronavirus without symptoms, study suggests
The findings of a non-peer-reviewed study suggest one in five people in London and the South East who have had coronavirus did not show any symptoms.
It also found more than a quarter (27 per cent) of people who did fall ill did not display the three main signs of Covid-19 - persistent cough, fever and loss of smell (anosmia).
King's College London researchers said this is the first UK-based pre-print study linking detailed ongoing symptom collection data with antibody testing, and highlights the likely extent of Covid-19 infection across the region.
Dr Claire Steves, study lead and consultant geriatrician from King's College London, said: "Our findings highlight the fact that a significant proportion of people who get infected with coronavirus don't have any obvious symptoms but may still pass the disease on to others.
"It's essential that we all take steps to protect the health of everyone by sticking to social distancing guidelines, wearing face coverings in public, and following good hand hygiene practices.
"Testing is much more available now. So, if you have symptoms you can't explain - get a swab or saliva test, as that way you will know to protect yourself and the people around you."
PA
Prime minister Boris Johnson and England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty are expected to hold a coronavirus press conference shortly.
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