Coronavirus news: France facing another nationwide lockdown as cases surge and UK government could fast-track vaccine under new plans
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A coronavirus vaccine could be fast-tracked as an unlicensed medicine before the end of the year under new government plans.
The proposals would allow the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to grant temporary authorisation before a full licence has been approved.
More healthcare workers - including student nurses and physiotherapists - could also be trained to administer vaccines. It is hoped the new measures could be in force by October.
England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said: "The proposals consulted on today suggest ways to improve access and ensure as many people are protected from COVID-19 and flu as possible without sacrificing the absolute need to ensure that any vaccine used is both safe and effective."
Downing Street is also preparing to launch a media campaign to encourage workers to return to offices in an effort to save shops in town and city centres from closure.
However Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's first minister, said she would not support any plans to "intimidate people back to work" during the pandemic before it is safe for employees to return.
Meanwhile France is facing a new lockdown after its health ministry said new cases were increasing "exponentially" and hospitalisations and intensive care admissions were also rising.
President Emmanuel Macron said his government would do "everything possible" to avoid reimposing nationwide restrictions but admitted it could not be ruled out.
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Restrictions lifted in parts of northern England
Local lockdown restrictions which were introduced last month in Bolton, Stockport, Trafford, Burnley and Hyndburn, will be lifted, the Department of Health and Social Care has announced.
The guidance urges the public in the affected areas not to meet people outside their household in a private home or garden.
Parts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees will also fall into line with the rest of England on Wednesday (2 September).
However several other areas, including Pendle, will continue under local restrictions.
Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said: "The rate of infection and the percentage of people testing positive is coming down in Pendle but we are not complacent.
"We have tested more people than anywhere in the North West - over 15,000 people in Pendle have been tested so far and this approach is working.
"We are urging everyone to please continue following the local measures in place to bring the down the percentage of people testing positive."
Four test positive after Republican National Convention
Four people who were at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte have tested positive for Covid-19.
Health officials in North Carolina's Mecklenburg County said the infected people - two attendees and two people involved in supporting the event - have been issued with quarantine instructions. Their known close contacts have also been contacted.
Nearly 800 people were tested at the RNC event, according to the county.
Officials had already raised concerns about a lack of social distancing and mask wearing at one business meeting of the RNC in Charlotte.
Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris said the convention posed no infection risk to the greater Charlotte area - although the true scope of convention-related infections may not be apparent for several weeks.
Guests watch Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech for the Republican Party nomination for reelection (AFP)
Local restrictions continue in Oldam, Manchester, Salford, Rochdale, Bury and Tameside
A ban on two households mixing indoors will remain in City of Manchester, Salford, Rochdale, Bury and Tameside.
In Oldham, in addition to a household mixing ban indoors, residents will continue to be advised to avoid mixing with anyone from anther household anywhere.
Cases per 100,000 in Oldham reached 67.1 during the week ending August 20, the second highest in England, the government said.
The decisions were made at the weekly Local Action Gold Committee, chaired by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he has "every faith" in people across the country in following local rules.
"We brought in measures to protect people in these parts of northern England, and I want to thank residents who have worked so hard to get on top of this virus," he said.
"We're seeing the positive results of our local approach and are able to bring in increasingly targeted measures.
"It is vital we can maintain this good progress. I have every faith people across the county, especially in areas where we are seeing higher numbers of cases, will continue to play their part by following local rules, and self-isolating and requesting a free test as soon as they get any symptoms."
Press Association
Birmingham avoids local lockdown
Increased testing and a crackdown on businesses flouting coronavirus guidelines appears to have paid off in Birmingham.
The city was upgraded to an "area of enhanced support" last week after recording an infection rate above 30 per 100,000.
It was feared that a further rise could see restrictions imposed on its 1.2 million residents ahead of the bank holiday weekend. However the government has decided it is not necessary at this time.
West Midlands mayor Andy Street said: "Thanks to the responsibility of so many, we have avoided any stricter measures being imposed this week.
"But the threat is still very real, and we have seen elsewhere how the government will act if rates rise. So as we enter the Bank Holiday weekend, please don’t let up."
Sandwell and Stoke climb Covid-watchlist
Sandwell in the West Midlands has been upgraded to an area of "enhanced support" after its infection rate climbed to 24 per 100,000.
However a regional public health official sought to reassure residents that it was not yet at risk of a local lockdown, saying that the numbers are "expected to fall".
Stoke-on-Trent has been added to the watchlist as an "area of concern", although "the numbers are going down" according to Clive Wright, West Midlands regional convenor for the Department of Health and Social Care.
Here's the top ten areas by their new infections per 100,000 people, calculated by the Press Association from government data.
Pendle 56.5 (down from 68.4)
Blackburn with Darwen 54.1 (down from 58.8)
Oldham 54.0 (down from 75.1)
Bradford 43.0 (down from 46.7)
Manchester 42.0 (down from 46.3)
Corby 40.2 (up from 16.6)
Kettering 38.3 (up from 16.7)
Northampton 37.0 (down from 40.5)
Redditch 36.4 (up from 4.7)
Burnley 34.9 (up from 23.6)
However, we have to bear in mind that a relatively small outbreak can significantly increase the infection rate. For example, Corby's rise from 16.6 to 40.2 is based on an extra 17 cases over the week ending 25 August.
France 'doing everything to avoid another nationwide lockdown'
French president Emmanuel Macron has refused to rule out another nationwide lockdown after the a surge in the infection rate.
The health ministry's latest daily figures, released this evening, revealed a further 7,379 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, compared to 6,111 yesterday.
This daily case increase was just short of the record of 7,578, set at the height of the nationwide lockdown on 31 March.
"We're doing everything to avoid another lockdown and in particular a nationwide lockdown," Macron told journalists. "We've learned enough to know that nothing can be ruled out. But we're doing everything to prevent it."
However while the number of coronavirus infections has increased in recent weeks, particularly among young people, the number of patients receiving life-saving treatment in hospitals is stable. A further 20 deaths were reported today.
Outbreak at hospital in Northern Ireland
Ten patients at a haematology ward in Craigavon Area Hospital and eleven members of staff have tested positive for Covid-19.
Twenty-eight employees are self-isolating, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust said.
The Trust added: "Trust staff continue to work closely with the Public Health Agency to manage the situation.
"The PHA contact tracing service has been following up with any confirmed contacts within the wider community.
"The safety of patients, staff and wider contacts remains a priority."
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