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As it happenedended

Coronavirus news: Pubs could have to close to keep schools open in local lockdowns, as Sturgeon admits failings on exam grades

Follow the day’s events as they happened

Samuel Osborne,Jon Sharman,Zoe Tidman
Monday 10 August 2020 16:15 EDT
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Coronavirus: Weekly rate of new Covid-19 cases in England

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Pubs may be forced to close in areas under local coronavirus lockdowns so that schools can remain open, Downing Street has said.

Boris Johnson has said the UK has a moral responsibility to get children back into the classroom.

Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon has apologised to Scottish exam students who were marked down "because of an algorithm".

She said: "In a very difficult and unprecedented situation, we took decisions that we thought on balance were the right ones."

The number of NHS contact tracers are to be slashed by a third, while the rest are set to be redeployed locally.

Announcing the changes to the NHS Test and Trace programme, the Department for Health and Social Care said it would cut the number of national contact tracers by 6,000 by 24 August.

California public health director resigns

The head of California's public health department has resigned.

Dr Sonia Angell announced her departure late on Sunday, just days after the state announced a fix for a glitch that caused a lag in collecting coronavirus test information used to make decisions about reopening businesses and schools.

Dr Angell said she was departing from her role as director and state public health officer at the California Department of Public Health in a letter to staff released by the California Health and Human Services Agency.

She did not give a specific reason.

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 09:00

Further lockdown easing in Wales

Gyms, swimming pools, leisure centres and indoor fitness studios are reopening in Wales.

Unlike the rest of the UK, children's indoor play areas can also open, though places like ball pits, which cannot be easily cleaned, will remain closed.

The Welsh government has boosted the powers of councils to enforce laws designed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in newly reopened businesses.

The latest changes to coronavirus regulations in Wales have come into force one week after pubs and restaurants in the country were able to open indoors for the first time since lockdown began in March.

The Welsh government said it was "continuing to explore" whether people can be allowed to meet indoors others who are not already part of their extended household from 15 August.

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 09:10

Schools could stay closed during local outbreaks, Drakeford warns

Mark Drakeford has said some schools could close in the event of a local coronavirus outbreak.

The Welsh first minister told BBC Breakfast: "Every local flare-up is different. In some places not reopening schools would be part of a plan, in other sorts of outbreaks that may not be necessary.

"It's down to the local circumstances, down to the team on the ground. and they will then advise Welsh ministers."

Mr Drakeford added: "There are a series of options that we could draw on if we needed to. Our top plan is to get every child back in school in September so that they are learning - these children have been deprived of their learning for months."

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 09:20

Pub customer told to self-isolate

Customers of a pub in the West Midlands have been told to immediately self-isolate after an outbreak of coronavirus emerged following a barbecue there, writes Jane Dalton.

About 70 people were at the event at the Soho Foundry Tavern in Smethwick last Sunday, and three – including some staff – have since tested positive for Covid-19, council officials say.

The pub closed voluntarily on Thursday after the cases became known.

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 09:35

US would share vaccine if it developed one - after we're finished with it, Azar says

Any vaccine or treatment for Covid-19 would be shared fairly with the rest of the world, but only once Americans' needs have been satisfied, Alex Azar has said.

Donald Trump's health secretary said that "of course" Washington's first priority was to develop treatements for us in the US.

He added in comments on Monday: "But we anticipate having capacity that, once those needs are satisfied, those products would be available in the world community according to fair and equitable distributions that we would consult in the international community on."

He did not elaborate.

There are more than 200 COVID-19 vaccine candidates in development around the world, including more than 20 in human clinical trials.

Mr Trump has vowed to have a shot ready before year's end, though they typically take several years to develop and test for safety and effectiveness.

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 09:50

Hong Kong update

Hong Kong reported 69 new coronavirus cases on Monday, of which 67 were locally transmitted.

City authorities are trying to contain a resurgence of the virus over the last six weeks.

Since late January, more than 4,000 people have been infected in Hong Kong, 55 of whom have died.

On Sunday, Hong Kong reported 72 new cases.

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 10:00

Report says ministers should fund changes to unhealthy recipes

Food manufacturers should be given taxpayer help to research how to re-formulate unhealthy foods to help tackle Britain’s obesity crisis, a new report has said, writes Shaun Lintern.

The non-profit think tank Demos also said ministers must consider subsidising healthy foods to help tackle food market flaws, which it says leave 20 million people unable to afford healthy food.

The government unveiled a new obesity strategy last month as evidence shows those who are overweight have a greater risk of becoming severely ill or dying from coronavirus.

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 10:15

Indonesia figures

Indonesia reported 1,687 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing its total to 127,083, government data showed.

The southeast Asian country also added 42 new deaths, taking the overall toll to 5,765.

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 10:25

Manchester Crown Court forced to close

Manchester Crown Court has closed for a second time after three people tested positive for Covid-19, the Manchester Evening News reports.

The closure on Monday morning followed positive tests in two people.

Last week the court closed for half a day for a deep clean following one positive test, the paper reported.

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 10:35

Clearing could be busiest yet after gap year plans ruined by virus

There could be a record number of students trying to secure a place a university through clearing, the head of the admissions service has predicted, writes Tim Wyatt.

Although A-Level results are less than a week away, almost three-quarters of Britain’s leading universities have vacancies for undergraduate courses on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website.

Clare Marchant, the chief executive of UCAS, said she thought as many as 80,000 applicants could find a place at university through clearing, up from 73,000 last year.

Jon Sharman10 August 2020 10:50

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