Coronavirus news: Boris Johnson set to make face masks mandatory in shops as WHO reports record global surge in infections
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Boris Johnson is set to make face coverings compulsory in shops and other indoor venues as the government indicated further relaxation of lockdown restrictions.
The prime minister said he was looking at ways of being “stricter” about masks as the culture secretary announced gyms, sports facilities and beauty salons will be allowed to reopen in England later this month.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation warned the coronavirus pandemic had still not reached its peak, with the organisation’s director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, saying the virus is not under control “in most of the world” and is in fact “getting worse”.
It comes as quarantine rules for people returning to or visiting the UK from a list of 76 countries are relaxed from Friday.
Follow the latest updates
Good morning and welcome to the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic.
Pandemic has still not reached its peak, WHO warns, and is 'getting worse'
The World Health Organisation has warned the coronavirus pandemic has still not reached its peak.
The director general of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the virus is not under control "in most of the world" and is in fact "getting worse".
Dr Ghebreyesus said the total number of cases of coronavirus worldwide has doubled in the last six weeks.
Speaking at the member state briefing on the Covid-19 pandemic evaluation, he said: "The virus has upended health systems in some of the world's wealthiest nations, while some countries that have mounted a successful response have been of modest means.
"We know that when countries take a comprehensive approach based on fundamental public health measures - such as find, isolate, test and treat cases, and trace and quarantine contacts - the outbreak can be brought under control.
"But in most of the world the virus is not under control. It is getting worse.
"More than 11.8 million cases of Covid-19 have now been reported to WHO. More than 544,000 lives have been lost.
"And the pandemic is still accelerating. The total number of cases has doubled in the last six weeks."
Quarantine rules for UK visits to be relaxed
Quarantine rules for people returning to or visiting the UK from certain countries will be relaxed from Friday.
But while Labour welcomed the relaxation of the quarantine, it criticised the government for failing to set up so-called air bridges to other countries.
Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said workers and holidaymakers were paying the price of the government's failure to act.
He added: "The fact they have been unable to negotiate air bridges is an indictment of their failure to tackle the crisis at home.
"They were too slow to take lockdown, too slow to order PPE (personal protective equipment) and too slow to protect our country.
"Labour has consistently called for a sectoral deal that supports the whole aviation industry including the supply chain based on our six conditions.
"Tory ministers have failed to act and workers are paying the price and trips are being cancelled."
Coronavirus accelerates shopping decline
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said the businesses which announced job cuts this week had reported that coronavirus had accelerated shopping trends that were already in place.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she said: "I think if you look carefully at the statements of the businesses which have been announcing those big consultations, which I know from talking to the leaders of those companies how difficult the decisions are in any sort of job losses, is that actually what they are saying is that a lot of that is acceleration of transformation trends which were already under way.
"So what the crisis has done is really forced people to look so carefully at the structure of their businesses, particularly those who have a strong digital presence, and seeing what the balance is between the number of stores and the investment in digital and reducing potentially the number of stores.
"Where the focus for the Chancellor needs to be is standing ready, staying open to what any future support might look like."
She said business rates needed to be addressed in the long term, and that the sector hoped the loosening of lockdown restrictions on hospitality would help boost retail further.
'Balance' needed between allowing family visits and protecting care home residents
Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said a "balance" needed to be struck between allowing family visits and protecting care home residents from further coronavirus outbreaks following the decision to loosen visit restrictions.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Families are a really important part of care delivery but at the same time you have to be really, really cautious because, as people know, care homes have been really badly affected during this pandemic.
"People living in care homes are probably at the highest risk, so if there is an outbreak of Covid-19, it has serious and very tragic consequences so I think we have to balance the need for people to engage with their relatives and families but also we have a responsibility for the protection and safety of the people in care homes.
"I think treating people as key workers, making sure there is regular testing available - also with some new tests that might be available shortly which are going to be much quicker to get results, that may also help.
"We also need some clear guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care and in fact we've been waiting for that for over a month."
Prof Green said the sector was told that guidance from the department for visiting older people in care homes was "on its way" a month ago.
More than one in five have noticed vision get worse over lockdown
More than one in five Britons have noticed their vision get worse over lockdown, a study has found.
According to a survey of 2,000 people conducted by the College of Optometrists, 22% of people reported their eyesight had noticeably deteriorated since the nation first went into lockdown in March.
A third of those surveyed - and a higher proportion in those aged between 18 and 34 at 42% - believe the problems with their eyesight stem from spending more time in front of their TV and computer screens while shut in at home.
Dr Susan Blakeney, optometrist and clinical adviser for the college, said anyone who held concerns over their vision should not hesitate in contacting a medical professional.
"It is very important that if your vision has deteriorated or if you are experiencing a red or painful eye you should telephone your local optometrist," she said.
"They will be able to arrange a telephone consultation to help you get to the bottom of your problems and if needed they will arrange a face to face consultation."
One in three employees plan to continue working from home after lockdown
Almost one in three employees plan to continue working from home after the lockdown ends, often for environmental reasons, new research suggests.
The sudden change in lifestyle due to the coronavirus crisis has been an "environmental wake-up call" for many, said finance firm Halifax.
Its survey of 3,000 adults found that two in five said they had become more aware of climate change in recent months.
Three out of five said they did not expect things to ever go back to normal, and most were hopeful the world can make real changes to tackle the climate emergency.
Four out of five of those surveyed believed remote working was a solution to reducing emissions but the report said this may do more harm than good in homes with low energy efficiency rates.
Bolivia's president and Venezuela's number two official test positive for coronavirus
Bolivia's interim president and Venezuela's number two official have tested positive for coronavirus, days after Brazil's president was hit by the pandemic.
The infections in Venezuela, Brazil and Bolivia, which is seeing a spike in cases, come after Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez tested positive in June and was briefly treated in hospital.
Three Cabinet ministers in the administration of Bolivian leader Jeanine Anez have also tested positive for the virus, including health minister Eidy Roca and presidency minister Yerko Nunez.
Jeanine Anez said she will remain in isolation for 14 days when another test will be done, but she will continue to work remotely from the presidential residence.
"I feel good, I feel strong," she wrote on her Twitter account.
Bolivia's Health Ministry said the country has 42,984 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,577 deaths, and is seeing an increase in the number of new cases amid reports that hospitals are being overwhelmed in some regions.
Meanwhile, in Venezuela, socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello revealed that he had tested positive for Covid-19, making him the highest-ranking leader in the South American nation to come down with the virus so far.
Mr Cabello is considered the second-most powerful person in Venezuela after president Nicolas Maduro and made the announcement on Twitter, stating that he is isolated, getting treatment and will overcome the illness.
"We will win!" he wrote.
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