Coronavirus news: Luton and Blackburn put on highest Covid-19 alert level, as face mask rules spark confusion across England
The key updates and developments from Thursday 23 June
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Face masks will have to be worn in shops and supermarkets in England from Friday under new government rules which have been criticised as “confusing”.
The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed face coverings will be required in shops and takeaways, such as Pret A Manger, if people intend to take their food and coffee away – however customers will be allowed to remove them if sitting down to consume food or drink bought on site.
Meanwhile Luton and Blackburn with Darwen were added to Public Health England’s coronavirus watchlist as “areas of intervention” due to high infection rates. It means further lockdown-easing measures such as the reopening of sports centres has been postponed in both areas.
New data also showed the government’s test and trace programme has failed to reach 33,235 close contacts (16.4 per cent) of people who have tested positive for Covid-19.
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Women did significantly more in terms of childcare during lockdown compared to men, new figures reveal.
According to a study from the Office for National Statistics, women in households with children under 18 carried out an average of more than three hours a day of childcare compared to just two hours for men.
The research also found that one in three women home-schooling their children in lockdown said their mental health had suffered as a result.
92% of UK firms back to trading in first two weeks of July, figures show
Around 92 per cent of UK firms were trading in the two weeks to 12 July as more businesses opened their doors to customers after the easing of lockdown restrictions, according to new figures.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the proportion of firms which were active jumped from 86 per cent in the first two weeks of June, as the economy was boosted by the reopening of non-essential shops and hospitality venues.
It also said that, between 10 July and 17 July, the number of job adverts increased to just over half, 52 per cent, of their 2019 average.
The UK government has claimed responsibility for the better coronavirus outcome in Scotland, ahead of a visit to the country by Boris Johnson.
Speaking this morning, cabinet minister Brandon Lewis said the prime minister was ultimately in charge and that devolved administrations were simply "part of the decisions we were making".
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have significantly lower coronavirus death rates than England, and the crisis has largely been managed on a devolved basis since the UK first went into lockdown.
Tokyo sees highest daily count of new cases
The city of Tokyo announced a record 366 new daily coronavirus cases, exceeding 300 for the first time.
It comes as Japan begins a four-day weekend with many people joining a tourism promotion campaign the government is pushing despite concerns of a new wave of infections nationwide.
The number of daily cases in Tokyo had fallen to just several in late May after the government ended a national state of emergency but have climbed steadily since late June, with the number tripling in the first three weeks of July.
Tokyo now has 10,420 confirmed cases, including 327 deaths.
The Tokyo Olympics 2020 would have begun tomorrow, but the opening ceremony has been pushed back to 23 July 2021 because of the pandemic.
Governor Yuriko Koike said: "Please be mindful of your actions and do your utmost not to get infected, and not to infect others."
Ms Koike on Wednesday asked residents to stay home as much as possible during the long weekend, even though prime minister Shinzo Abe's government has gone ahead with a "Go To" tourism promotion campaign that excludes Tokyo for now to help the badly hit tourism industry.
Until recently, officials have said most cases were limited to younger people linked to nightlife entertainment districts, but experts at a Tokyo task force meeting on Wednesday said infections have spread to older people and to regular homes, workplaces and restaurants.
Hong Kong reports daily record of new cases
Hong Kong has reported a daily record of 118 new coronavirus cases, including 111 locally transmitted cases, adding to a deluge of new infections that have hit the global financial hub in the past two weeks.
Hong Kong extended strict social distancing measures on Wednesday as authorities reported 105 locally transmitted infections.
Since late January more than 2,000 people have been infected in Hong Kong, 14 of whom have died.
Authorities have warned the city faces a critical period in containing the virus.
Authorities on Wednesday also said they were extending the period that non-essential civil servants would work from home until 2 August.
Health secretary Sophia Chan said the government was asking citizens to be patient and stay at home as much as possible.
Government confirms public must wear face masks in sandwich shops
People will need to wear a face covering in sandwich shops in England under new regulations due to come into force on Friday.
The Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed face coverings will be needed in shops such as Pret A Manger if people intend to take their food and coffee away.
If they sit down to eat or drink, they will be able to remove their face covering in that area.
It is likely takeaway outlets will fall under the same criteria.
A Department of Health spokesman said: "From Friday 24 July it will be mandatory to wear a face covering in shops and supermarkets, as is currently the case on public transport.
"If a shop or supermarket has a cafe or a seating area to eat and drink, you can remove your face covering in that area."
The regulations, which are enforceable by the police, are due to be set out on Thursday afternoon.
The same exemptions as for public transport will apply, with children under 11 and people with breathing problems not required to wear a covering.
Anyone who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment or disability is also exempt.
United States 'recording 2,600 new cases every hour'
US coronavirus cases are approaching 4 million, with more than 2,600 new cases every hour on average, the highest rate in the world, according to a Reuters tally.
Infections in the United States have rapidly accelerated since the first case was detected on 21 January.
It took the country 98 days to reach 1 million cases. It took another 43 days to reach 2 million and then 27 days to reach 3 million. It has only taken 16 days to reach 4 million at a rate of 43 new cases a minute.
The federal government, state governors and city leaders have often clashed over the best way to tackle the pandemic, leading to a confusing patchwork of rules on issues like mask wearing in public and when businesses can open.
President Donald Trump recently shifted his tone. He had previously been reluctant to wear a face covering himself but this week encouraged Americans to wear masks and recently appeared in public for the first time with a face covering.
Of the 20 countries with the biggest outbreak, the United States ranks second for cases per capita, at 120 infections per 10,000 people, only exceeded by Chile.
With over 143,000 deaths, or 4.4 fatalities per 10,000 people, the United States ranks sixth globally for the highest deaths per capita. It is exceeded by the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Chile and France.
Packs of face coverings will be available for purchase near the front of Tesco stores for anyone who has forgotten to bring one.
It is understood customers will be able to open them and add to their basket to purchase later.
Test and trace fails to contact more than 30,000 people
Since the launch of the government's test and trace programme, 169,546 close contacts of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 have been reached through the tracing system and asked to self-isolate.
This is 83.6 per cent out of a total of 202,781 people identified as close contacts.
The remaining 33,235 people (16.4 per cent) were identified as close contacts, but were not reached.
The weekly figures show that 77.9 per cent of close contacts were reached in the week ending 15 July, up from 72.0 per cent in the previous week, but down on the 90.7 per cent reached in the first week of test and trace (week ending 3 June).
The White House has closed two cafeterias after a worker tested positive for coronavirus.
The eating areas located inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the New Executive Office Building were both closed this week after the case was discovered, according to reports.
It is not clear whether the person who contracted Covid-19 was a cafeteria worker or a White House official.
White House workers have reportedly been told to stay home if they show symptoms of the virus or feel unwell, but that they do not need to self-quarantine, according to the New York Times.
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