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| UK coronavirus live: Johnson may review mask rules in English schools if medical advice changes | UK coronavirus live: Johnson may review mask rules in English schools if medical advice changes |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| PM says he will change guidance if it is necessary; Ofqual chiefs and Williamson to face MPs; secondary school pupils in Scotland to cover faces from Monday as Wales reviews mask guidance for schools | PM says he will change guidance if it is necessary; Ofqual chiefs and Williamson to face MPs; secondary school pupils in Scotland to cover faces from Monday as Wales reviews mask guidance for schools |
| More from the official stats authority, while we await more updates on the possibility that schoolchildren will be asked to wear face coverings when they return next month. | |
| The proportion of people who believe Britain will be united after the coronavirus pandemic has halved in three months, figures suggest. | |
| The Office for National Statistics (ONS) surveyed 12,630 adults between 24 April and 28 June about their perceptions of unity and division in Britain. | |
| Over the period as a whole, 46% of adults on average thought that Britain will be united after society has recovered from Covid-19. | |
| At the start of the period, a higher proportion of people felt Britain would be “very or somewhat” united after the pandemic than felt this way at the end of the period. | |
| In the first week of the survey period more than half (57%) felt the UK would be more united, falling to 28% in the final week. Exactly half of female respondents believed this compared with 41% of men. | |
| Deaths in the UK have risen above average levels for the first time since mid-June, official statistics show, but coronavirus is not thought to be behind the rise. | |
| The high temperatures of the heatwave earlier this month are most likely behind the recent increase, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. | |
| In the week ending 14 August, there were 9,392 deaths from all causes in England and Wales – 447 more than the previous week. | |
| This took the number of deaths that week to 3.4% above the average for this time of year over the past five years – the first time the average has been exceeded since June. | |
| Meanwhile, deaths involving coronavirus have been steadily falling. There were 139 deaths registered in the week ending 14 August that mentioned “novel coronavirus”, an 8.6% fall from the 152 deaths recorded in the previous week. | |
| The ONS said: “The rise in deaths between weeks 32 and 33 coincided with high temperatures in England and Wales, and heatwave warnings were issued by NHS England.” | |
| There have been no further reported deaths of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Wales, health officials have said. | |
| The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic remains at 1,593. | |
| Public Health Wales said the total number of coronavirus cases had increased by 28, bringing total cases in Wales to 17,774. | |
| The Welsh health minister, Vaughan Gething, said he hoped to make an announcement on whether children would be made to wear face coverings when they returned to school by tomorrow evening. | |
| “Scotland have made a change in their arrangements after their schools had essentially been open for two weeks,” he said during the Welsh government’s coronavirus press briefing. | “Scotland have made a change in their arrangements after their schools had essentially been open for two weeks,” he said during the Welsh government’s coronavirus press briefing. |
| “I would much rather that we’re in a position where if there’s going to be any change, including if that change is just around guidance as opposed to mandating anything, that we’re able to do so by the end of tomorrow so we’re not looking to make a decision late in the week when there’s a bank holiday weekend just before schools are due to reopen.” | “I would much rather that we’re in a position where if there’s going to be any change, including if that change is just around guidance as opposed to mandating anything, that we’re able to do so by the end of tomorrow so we’re not looking to make a decision late in the week when there’s a bank holiday weekend just before schools are due to reopen.” |
| The Tory chair of the education select committee, Robert Halfon, has called for “more clarity” on face coverings ahead of schools returning. | The Tory chair of the education select committee, Robert Halfon, has called for “more clarity” on face coverings ahead of schools returning. |
| He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme: | He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme: |
| He went on: “I think if the chief medical officer has set out the reasons why masks weren’t necessary and the science behind it. I think that would reassure a lot of people in education and parents wondering or not whether they’re needed when they send their children back to school next week.” | He went on: “I think if the chief medical officer has set out the reasons why masks weren’t necessary and the science behind it. I think that would reassure a lot of people in education and parents wondering or not whether they’re needed when they send their children back to school next week.” |
| I’m Amy Walker, taking over from my colleague Ben Quinn while he takes a break. I’ll be keeping you up to date with all the key coronavirus developments from the UK for the next hour or so. | I’m Amy Walker, taking over from my colleague Ben Quinn while he takes a break. I’ll be keeping you up to date with all the key coronavirus developments from the UK for the next hour or so. |
| Two more “Nightingale” courts have started to hear cases in efforts to clear the backlog exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. | Two more “Nightingale” courts have started to hear cases in efforts to clear the backlog exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. |
| The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) headquarters in Westminster and a former court building in Fleetwood, Lancashire, opened on Monday. | The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) headquarters in Westminster and a former court building in Fleetwood, Lancashire, opened on Monday. |
| A press conference room in the government building at 102 Petty France has been converted into a court room and will hear cases from east and west London family courts. | A press conference room in the government building at 102 Petty France has been converted into a court room and will hear cases from east and west London family courts. |
| In Fleetwood, the building will hear civil or family cases listed for Preston or Blackpool magistrates courts. It comes after Nightingale courts opened in Swansea, Middlesbrough, Hertfordshire and Telford last week. There are 10 in total so far, with two in Leeds and Peterborough yet to open. | In Fleetwood, the building will hear civil or family cases listed for Preston or Blackpool magistrates courts. It comes after Nightingale courts opened in Swansea, Middlesbrough, Hertfordshire and Telford last week. There are 10 in total so far, with two in Leeds and Peterborough yet to open. |
| Not everything has been as transparent or as smooth as one might have hoped however. Here was the experience of the new arrangements yesterday of the Evening Standard’s courts correspondent. | Not everything has been as transparent or as smooth as one might have hoped however. Here was the experience of the new arrangements yesterday of the Evening Standard’s courts correspondent. |
| The Welsh health minister, Vaughan Gething, has issued a stern warning against traditional pub crawls and stag and hen parties following a rise in coronavirus cases in Cardiff. | The Welsh health minister, Vaughan Gething, has issued a stern warning against traditional pub crawls and stag and hen parties following a rise in coronavirus cases in Cardiff. |
| Gething stopped short of putting a limit on the number of venues people should go to but he stressed that every visit to a new pub or bar was another chance for Covid to be transmitted. | Gething stopped short of putting a limit on the number of venues people should go to but he stressed that every visit to a new pub or bar was another chance for Covid to be transmitted. |
| He said: “At this point in time there isn’t a need to close pubs and restaurants. This depends on the behaviour of all of us. This is a choice about how we behave to keep coronavirus at bay for all of us.” | He said: “At this point in time there isn’t a need to close pubs and restaurants. This depends on the behaviour of all of us. This is a choice about how we behave to keep coronavirus at bay for all of us.” |
| There have been 47 positive tests in the last week - 37% of all cases in Wales. Public health officials said many of the new cases were among people between the ages of 20 and 30. | There have been 47 positive tests in the last week - 37% of all cases in Wales. Public health officials said many of the new cases were among people between the ages of 20 and 30. |
| Gething hinted that hospitality venues faced being shut before schools, adding: | Gething hinted that hospitality venues faced being shut before schools, adding: |
| Gething said that Welsh authorities had not said there is a limit to the number of places to go to but that people need to limit contact with others. | Gething said that Welsh authorities had not said there is a limit to the number of places to go to but that people need to limit contact with others. |
| Facebook has recruited 10 former policy officials since the start of last year, adding to suspicions that technology firms are trying to develop a closer relationship to the government.The Times reported that officials left roles in government and with regulators to work on policy and communications for Facebook. Whitehall watchers said there is usually a “mini exodus” of staff from key departments in the weeks and months after a general election, but rarely as many as 10 civil servants departing to the same company. Senior Conservative MPs said that Facebook was seeking to limit regulations before they were introduced.Julian Knight, the Tory chairman of the Commons committee on digital, culture, media and sport, told The Times that the public “have a right to question the cosy relationship between government and big tech at all levels”. Facebook said their policy teams play a key role in developing and applying Facebook’s policies such as our community standards — which set out what is and isn’t allowed on their platforms. | Facebook has recruited 10 former policy officials since the start of last year, adding to suspicions that technology firms are trying to develop a closer relationship to the government.The Times reported that officials left roles in government and with regulators to work on policy and communications for Facebook. Whitehall watchers said there is usually a “mini exodus” of staff from key departments in the weeks and months after a general election, but rarely as many as 10 civil servants departing to the same company. Senior Conservative MPs said that Facebook was seeking to limit regulations before they were introduced.Julian Knight, the Tory chairman of the Commons committee on digital, culture, media and sport, told The Times that the public “have a right to question the cosy relationship between government and big tech at all levels”. Facebook said their policy teams play a key role in developing and applying Facebook’s policies such as our community standards — which set out what is and isn’t allowed on their platforms. |
| Questioned about the exam results fiasco, Johnson added that in hindsight, the government “might have done some things differently”. | Questioned about the exam results fiasco, Johnson added that in hindsight, the government “might have done some things differently”. |
| He told reporters that those who had done their A-levels and GCSEs this year, had been “in many ways a remarkable generation”. | He told reporters that those who had done their A-levels and GCSEs this year, had been “in many ways a remarkable generation”. |
| Guidance saying that face coverings are not required in England’s schools could be altered if the medical advice changed, according to the prime minister. | Guidance saying that face coverings are not required in England’s schools could be altered if the medical advice changed, according to the prime minister. |
| Boris Johnson told reporters: “On the issue of whether or not to wear masks in some contexts - you know, we’ll look at the the changing medical evidence as we go on. If we need to change the advice then of course we will.” | Boris Johnson told reporters: “On the issue of whether or not to wear masks in some contexts - you know, we’ll look at the the changing medical evidence as we go on. If we need to change the advice then of course we will.” |
| Asked why the UK government was ignoring World Health Organization (WHO) advice that children aged over 12 should wear masks, he said: “The overwhelming priority is to get all pupils into school. | Asked why the UK government was ignoring World Health Organization (WHO) advice that children aged over 12 should wear masks, he said: “The overwhelming priority is to get all pupils into school. |
| Guidance on whether children in Wales should wear face coverings in schools is to be reviewed, according to authorities in Wales. | Guidance on whether children in Wales should wear face coverings in schools is to be reviewed, according to authorities in Wales. |
| The Welsh government’s Health minister, Vaughan Gething, said: | The Welsh government’s Health minister, Vaughan Gething, said: |
| The briefing where Gething made those those comments can be watched again here. | The briefing where Gething made those those comments can be watched again here. |
| The Welsh move comes after it was announced that Scottish secondary school pupils will have to wear face coverings in corridors, communal areas and school buses from next week. | The Welsh move comes after it was announced that Scottish secondary school pupils will have to wear face coverings in corridors, communal areas and school buses from next week. |
| There have been 44 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Scotland since yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon has announced at her regular media briefing, including seven in Tayside, where the cluster around the 2 Sisters food processing plant continues. | There have been 44 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Scotland since yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon has announced at her regular media briefing, including seven in Tayside, where the cluster around the 2 Sisters food processing plant continues. |
| Scotland’s first minister said that over past six days more than 900 people have been tested at mobile testing unit outside the plant in Coupar Angus, and that there is still little evidence of community transmission. | Scotland’s first minister said that over past six days more than 900 people have been tested at mobile testing unit outside the plant in Coupar Angus, and that there is still little evidence of community transmission. |
| Sturgeon also said there had been a “major spike” in demand for testing over the weekend, and announced the establishment of 11 local walk-through testing centres, the first of these will be housed in the Victory Memorial Hall in St Andrews. She also said three mobile testing units would be deployed across the central belt of Scotland, the first of which will be operational in Glasgow this afternoon. | Sturgeon also said there had been a “major spike” in demand for testing over the weekend, and announced the establishment of 11 local walk-through testing centres, the first of these will be housed in the Victory Memorial Hall in St Andrews. She also said three mobile testing units would be deployed across the central belt of Scotland, the first of which will be operational in Glasgow this afternoon. |
| On the decision to give “obligatory guidance” to young people to wear face coverings in high schools, she said: “I don’t under-estimate how challenging it is for teachers to do their already difficult jobs and be mindful of all the different requirements to keep Covid under control.” | On the decision to give “obligatory guidance” to young people to wear face coverings in high schools, she said: “I don’t under-estimate how challenging it is for teachers to do their already difficult jobs and be mindful of all the different requirements to keep Covid under control.” |
| Asked about compulsion, given that the guidance is not yet mandatory, she said that “ideally we don’t want to have an enforcement regime around this guidance in schools”. She went on: “Schools already have behavioural policies in place, this is another aspect of that and in my view much better done in that way of being part of the process for young people understanding things we have to adhere to [to combat the virus].” | Asked about compulsion, given that the guidance is not yet mandatory, she said that “ideally we don’t want to have an enforcement regime around this guidance in schools”. She went on: “Schools already have behavioural policies in place, this is another aspect of that and in my view much better done in that way of being part of the process for young people understanding things we have to adhere to [to combat the virus].” |
| Problems with the UK government’s website meant that it wasn’t possible to book a local Covid-19 drive-through test for about three hours today. | Problems with the UK government’s website meant that it wasn’t possible to book a local Covid-19 drive-through test for about three hours today. |
| I’ve been contacted by someone in Brighton who was trying to book a test earlier and was found that the website was, intermittently, either down or else it directed him to go to London. I called the government’s helpline and was told that the site was down for about three hours today. | I’ve been contacted by someone in Brighton who was trying to book a test earlier and was found that the website was, intermittently, either down or else it directed him to go to London. I called the government’s helpline and was told that the site was down for about three hours today. |
| When the person in Brighton phoned an official number he was told there was nothing that could be done at the moment as the system was down and “multiple calls” with the same complaint had been coming in. | When the person in Brighton phoned an official number he was told there was nothing that could be done at the moment as the system was down and “multiple calls” with the same complaint had been coming in. |
| He called back and was told “very few (if any) people are able to book a test online today due to technical errors, and so I should just turn up at the test centre, do the swab test, and complete/enter barcode details AFTER completing the test.” | He called back and was told “very few (if any) people are able to book a test online today due to technical errors, and so I should just turn up at the test centre, do the swab test, and complete/enter barcode details AFTER completing the test.” |