UK coronavirus: Chris Whitty says social distancing should continue ‘for a long period’ – as it happened

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Here’s a round up of the main developments today:

The government’s key advisers say social distancing should remain for some time

Both Sir Patrick Vallance and Prof Chris Whitty have cast doubt on the prime minister’s plan of a November return to normality, by making it clear they think social distancing should remain in place for some time. Both advisers warned there was a high risk of a second wave this winter and suggested some lockdown measures may have to be reimposed.

UK death toll increases by 114

The number of hospital deaths from coronavirus increased by 114 to 45,119. There were no new deaths in Scotland or Northern Ireland and one more in Wales. The number of infections increased by 687.

Boris Johnson unveils plan to return England ‘to normality’ by Christmas

Boris Johnson revealed steps to encourage people back to work in England and sweeping measures that will allow ministers to issue stay-at-home orders to tackle coronavirus outbreaks. Johnson said that from Saturday local authorities would have new powers to close specific premises, shut outdoor spaces and cancel events. He also set out plans for central government to intervene in local areas by issuing “stay-at-home” orders, limit the numbers at gatherings beyond national rules and restrict transport.

Employers to decide on whether staff should return to offices

Johnson appeared to tone down an expected call for employees to return to offices. Instead it will be up to employers to discuss with workers whether it is safe to return from 1 August.

Bowling, skating rinks and casinos and live performances to restart

Most remaining leisure settings, including bowling, skating rinks, casinos and close-contact services such as beauticians will be allowed to reopen from 1 August. But nightclubs and soft play areas will stay closed. Indoor performances to live audiences will also restart in August, subject to pilots. Larger gatherings in sports stadiums will also be piloted with a view to reopening in the autumn. Wedding receptions for up to 30 people will also be allowed.

Testing to increase and NHS to get extra funds

Coronavirus testing will be boosted to increase capacity to “at least” half a million a day – 3.5m a week – by the end of October. The NHS will get an extra £3bn to help it prepare for a possible second coronavirus wave which could be “more virulent”.

Capt Tom Moore has been knighted

Capt Tom Moore has been knighted by the Queen in recognition of his outstanding achievement of raising almost £33m for the NHS. The Queen personally praised the 100-year-old veteran, telling him: “Thank you so much, an amazing amount of money you raised.” Afterwards Sir Tom said: “Never ever did I imagine that I should get so close to the Queen and have such a kind message from her.”

Top civil servant overseeing care homes in England steps aside

The top civil servant with responsibility for care homes in England has stepped aside, sparking fresh concern about an absence of government leadership in a sector that has recorded 21,600 deaths from Covid-19 – almost 40% of all UK fatalities from the virus. Rosamond Roughton, the director general for adult social care at the Department for Health and Social Care, “is now on a career break”, according to Whitehall sources.

Hancock orders review into PHE coronavirus death statistics

Matt Hancock has ordered an urgent review of how Public Health England compiles its daily count of Covid-19 deaths, amid concerns they are exaggerated. A study by Oxford University pointed out the PHE figures record deaths of anyone who has previously tested positive for coronavirus. But experts point out that the PHE’s daily figures underestimate the true picture. They say figures from the Office for National Statistics, which record deaths that mention Covid-19 on death certificates are higher than PHE’s count.

Andrew Lansley accuses Johnson of blaming the NHS for Covid-19 failings

The Conservative former health secretary has criticised the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and accused it of trying to blame the NHS for its own failings. Lansley made clear that delays in instigating the lockdown, ordering personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHS staff and increasing testing were made by ministers, not health service bosses.

More than 100 people will take part in the next phase of clinical trials to test a new coronavirus vaccine developed at Imperial College London, PA Media reports.

Work began earlier this week to vaccinate a larger number of participants to assess the optimal dosage of Imperial’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate.

It follows a “successful” initial phase of the trial which involved 15 volunteers, Imperial said.

In the next phase 105 people, aged 18 to 75, will randomised to receive their first shot of one of three doses of the vaccine at a west London facility, followed by a booster shot four weeks later. Neither the participants nor clinical staff will know which dose they have received, Imperial said.

Prof Robin Shattock, who is leading the development of Imperial’s vaccine, said:

The progression to the next phase of the trial is an important step in assessing the safety of our vaccine. Analysing blood samples for antibodies and T-cell response will provide some indication of whether our vaccine can produce an immune response to fight the virus.

Shattock said larger clinical trials will still be required to determine whether the vaccine candidate is able to reduce the spread or severity of coronavirus.

A public health professor has said scrapping social-distancing measures in time for Christmas is an “enthusiastic approach that is premature” because the infection rate is still too high, PA Media reports.

Linda Bauld, a professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, said the infection rate in the community is currently too high for this to happen.

She pointed to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) infection survey published on Friday, which shows there are around 1,700 new cases a day in England, the same amount as last week.

She said most countries still had the 1-metre rule as a minimum, with the exception of New Zealand and Vietnam.

Bauld said:

The only way it would be possible to get rid of the 1-metre rule is if, over several months, we don’t have any Covid cases around the country.

It does seem strange to suggest we can remove all social distancing if the virus is still in the community even in small levels, and when people are flying in and out of the country. This is an enthusiastic approach that’s premature.

She said any suggestion by the government to scrap social distancing by November contradicted its statements about planning for a potential second wave:

We might be in a better place in November but I am not optimistic. Those of us in the scientific community are worried about winter so why would they say this could happen at such a crucial period? Seems to me this is about trying to have a normal Christmas. I hope we have zero cases but we are not there yet.

The Vallance and Whitty hearing has now finished. Here are the main points.

The government’s key advisers said social distancing should remain for some time

Both Vallance and Whitty have cast doubt on the prime minister’s plan of a November return to normality, by making it clear they think social distancing should remain in place for some time. Whitty said:

Distancing remains an important part of this mix and how it’s interpreted in different environments has evolved, but it has not gone away. [It] need[s] to continue for a long period of time.

Vallance said:

If it’s the case that it goes round the world and comes back again, then clearly we remain as a population exposed to this. And therefore the measures of reducing contact to reduce spread, the sorts of social distancing measures that we’ve talked about, and the hygiene measures that go along with that, will be necessary.

Vallance and Whitty conceded it was a mistake not to release Sage paper earlier

Whitty said this was an error. Vallance said: “We definitely made a mistake earlier on by not getting the Sage minutes and papers out quickly.”

Some lockdown measures may have to be reimposed in winter

Whitty said that when schools reopen “other measures” may have to be introduced to compensate for the increases in infection this could produce. He suggested that in the winter months more stringent measures will be needed. He said: “It’s possible in winter we may have to do some other things.”

Vallance said: “The higher the numbers in circulation when you go into winter, the higher the likelihood you get a significant peak. And that speaks to the importance now of getting our numbers down and getting on top of this with the measures that are in place.”

The probability of a second wave is ‘very high’

Vallance said: “There is a very significant chance that it comes back in force. Everyone that I’ve spoken to thinks it’s highly likely that this disease will continue to circulate and will come back in waves.”

Vallance acknowledged that the scientific group he chairs should have published papers earlier in the pandemic.

He said:

We definitely made a mistake earlier on by not getting the Sage minutes and papers out quickly.

It was right to get the papers out and make sure people could see the evidence. And so I think that’s an important lesson to be learned.

The speculation before the papers were released about what was in them and also who was on Sage was far more exciting and fruity than the truth when the papers come out, when people can see the nature of the scientific work behind it.

Whitty agreed it was an “error” not to release the data earlier.

Here’s what Captain Sir Tom Moore said after being knighted (see earlier).