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.
Follow our live coverage below:
Covid pub crackdown in Ireland
The Irish government has announced that police will get new powers to shut pubs which break coronavirus rules.
Prison sentences of up to six months and fines of up to 2,500 euros will be imposed if bars infringing social distancing regulations refuse to close for a day.
Closure orders could be issued by a district court resulting in a pub being shut for up to 30 days.
Legislation will be considered when the Dail resumes on Wednesday.
Another 127 new cases of Covid-19 and no further deaths have been reported by the Department of Health.
France cases 'rising exponentially'
New cases of coronavirus are rising 'exponentially' in France, particularly in the young, according to the health ministry.
Officials also highlight an increase in hospitalisations and admissions to intensive care, as well as an increase in the number of cases at nursing homes.
The health ministry said in its latest update this evening: "In metropolitan France, the progression of the epidemic is exponential. The dynamic growth of transmission is very worrying.
"The increase in cases is particularly significant in people with symptoms who, in week 34, account for more than half of confirmed cases. While all age groups are affected by the increase, the increase in incidence remains more marked among young adults."
However it said the number of hospital admissions had so far remained "at limited levels".
"These results indicate that it is essential to continue efforts to raise the awareness of the entire population in the application of barrier gestures, in particular the use of masks and physical distancing to slow the spread of the virus," the ministry added.
Boris Johnson says 'schools are safe'
Downing Street has released a question and answer session involving the prime minister and England's deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries in a bid to convince the public that schools should reopen next week.
Boris Johnson said: "Absolutely every pupil needs to be back in school next week and in the course of the succeeding days as schools go back.
"Now is the time when a school is safe to go back to and the evidence is overwhelming that it is in the interest of the wellbeing and the health of children, young people, pupils, to be back in school rather than missing out any more.
"So, it is the healthy, safe thing to do."
On the issue of face masks for pupils, Dr Harries said: "The evidence on face coverings is not very strong in either direction.
"We are continuing to learn ... around how the virus transmits and it may be we do change advice in the future - that's because we are watching the science."
Canada extends travel ban to 30 September
Bill Blair, the Canadian public safety minister, has announced that the travel ban will be extended to 30 September.
It bars most foreign visitors from entering the country from outside the United States in a bid to limit the spread of coronavirus.
Canada has a separate agreement for border crossings with the United States, which is in place until 21 September.
More evidence of Covid re-infection?
A new scientific paper has concluded that "it is possible for humans to become infected multiple times by SARS-CoV-2", based on a case in the US.
The 25-year-old resident of Reno, Nevada, first became ill in late March and tested positive a few weeks later. He then apparently recovered before falling ill again in late May and at one stage was admitted to the emergency department to be given oxygen. He again tested positive.
Although the paper is a pre-print and has not been reviewed by other scientists, it has been highlighted by one of the most prominent coronavirus tweeters, Harvard nutritionist Dr Eric Feigl-Ding.
New UK outbreak... of illegal raves
Police forces in England are stepping up measures to tackle illegal raves and gatherings as a nightlife association warns of an "outbreak" of unlicensed events over the bank holiday weekend.
In London, where more than 1,000 Unlicensed Music Events (UMEs) have been held since the end of June, the Metropolitan Police said they have been in contact with the organisers of events planned over the weekend, advising them to consider restrictions on gatherings put in place during the coronavirus pandemic.
New guidance on school response to rise in infections
Education secretary Gavin Williamson has set out a four-tier system of restrictions on schools in the event of an outbreak.
They are described as "an absolute last resort in areas subject to local restrictions", and begin with face coverings for pupils in Year 7 and above. The final stage is remote learning for all pupils except for vulnerable children and children of key workers.
Mr Williamson said: "Our primary focus remains supporting all schools to welcome back all pupils for the start of term and we thank teachers and staff for their hard work in preparations.
"We hope that we won’t have to implement the guidance set out today because the local lockdown measures we have introduced so far are working. Changes to school attendance will only ever be an absolute last resort.
"However, it is important that both government and schools prepare for a worst case scenario, so this framework represents the sensible contingency planning any responsible government would put in place."
That's it for our live coverage of the pandemic for today. Thanks for reading.
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