Gyms and swimming pools finally reopen amid concerns about their financial future

A member of staff cleans down gym equipment at David Lloyd in Cambridge
A member of staff cleans down gym equipment at David Lloyd in Cambridge Credit: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

                                                                                                        

    Today's top stories

    Follow all the latest coronavirus news in Sunday's live blog.

    Gyms and pools reopen

    The UK could be facing a collapse in its health and leisure infrastructure, industry leaders have warned, as pools and gyms were finally allowed to open their doors.

    Only around 20 per cent of pools in England will be opening on Saturday, the head of the national governing body for swimming has said, with thousands potentially shutting up shop unless the Government intervenes.

    Jane Nickerson, chief executive of Swim England, said that even before Covid-19 struck 40 per cent of the country's ageing pool stock was facing closure before the end of the decade.

    She said many local facilities have had no support at all over the last three months.

    Ms Nickerson told Radio 4's Today programme: "We know every single pool returns around £7.2 million in community benefits - in social cohesion, crime prevention, education attainment and health benefits.

    "So a little bit of support now from the Government will have its payback within months.

    "It is not like it's asking for money that just gets thrown away - by tackling the health and obesity crisis in the pool, it actually saves a lot of money."

    Her warning comes as the Government revealed on Friday that it is preparing plans to tackle obesity as part of its strategy to minimise the impact of future waves of Covid-19.

    It said it would be revealing its obesity strategy "very soon" after a Public Health England (PHE) review found a dramatic rise in the risk of hospitalisation and death from coronavirus.

    Could social distancing and face coverings help Britain escape a winter flu surge?   

    Winter is coming, and with it a growing apprehension that a second wave of coronavirus will clash with the annual flu season, crippling the health service and sending death rates soaring.

    This week the government announced it will expand the flu vaccination programme, both to better protect vulnerable groups and to prevent people needlessly being tested or self-isolating from influenza, which has similar symptoms to Covid-19.

    However, there is emerging evidence that Britain could have an historically low number of infections this year because the usual spread is being stopped by social distancing, face coverings and increased hand washing.

    All the measures imposed to defeat coronavirus seem to be having an extremely positive impact on other contagious illnesses. In fact, by some measures, the country has never been healthier. 

    Sarah Knapton has the full details on this story here

    Mapped: Which regions of Spain are seeing a second outbreak? 

    Cases of Covid-19 have surged in parts of Spain, causing fears that localised lockdowns could ruin holiday plans.

    On Thursday, the town of Totana in the region of Murcia was the first to be placed in a ‘Phase One’ lockdown after a spike in cases linked to a nightclub. Catalonia and Malaga have also seen recent rises. The government of Catalonia has ordered nightclubs and late-night bars in the region to close for two weeks from today (Saturday).

    Greg Dickinson has taken a closer look at which regions are seeing the biggest spikes in cases:

     Also in Spain, soldiers have been sent to build a camp for migrant strawberry pickers after a UN official criticised authorities for allowing seasonal farm workers to live in "inhumane" conditions, the government said on today. 

    The UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and rights, Olivier De Schutter, said in a statement on Friday that urgent action was needed to improve "deplorable conditions" in worker settlements before people died.

    Three fires broke out in migrant shanty towns near the southwestern town of Huelva last week, injuring four people, and health officials have warned that the cramped settlements put workers at risk of catching the coronavirus.

    Following appeals for help from local officials, a defence ministry spokeswoman said the troops were deployed on Saturday to look for a suitable location to build a camp to house the workers, most of whom are Moroccan.

    Evening summary

    Just joining us? Here's a brief roundup of today's central events:

    • Britain will never know how many people died from coronavirus because there was not enough testing from the outset, a professor who sits on the Government’s Sage advisory board has said. 

    • Gyms and swimming pools have reopened in England today, but industry leaders warn that they face an uncertain financial future.

    • Meanwhile the Government has confirmed it will reveal its obesity strategy "very soon", as new data found that obesity increases the risk of dying from Covid-19 by 40 per cent.

    • Three members of the South African women's cricket team were tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of assembling for a training camp to prepare a proposed tour of England.

    • Germany may introduce compulsory coronavirus testing for holidaymakers returning from high-risk destinations after the number of new infections in the country hit a two-month high, the health minister said.

    • Visitors to Greece arriving by air from Bulgaria and Romania will need to provide proof they have tested negative for coronavirus to gain entry, Greece's Civil Protection authority has said.

    • Storm Hanna, the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season, is forecast to make landfall on the Texas coast later today, threatening one of the US' Covid-19 hot spots with storm surge and flooding.

    • Mexico City's mayor warned of a possible resurgence of cases in the sprawling capital in the coming months, noting that hospitalisations have been on the rise in recent days.

    • Vietnam is back on high alert for the coronavirus after medical officials in the central city of Danang detected the country's first locally transmitted case for three months.

    • South Korea reported 113 new cases on today, the largest single-day increase in almost four months. Officials warned the upward trajectory could continue as people carrying the disease enter the country from abroad.

    Scroll down for more on all of today's events.

    Thousands of small firms blocked from Covid loans

    Tens of thousands of small businesses are at risk of going bust because Britain’s biggest banks are refusing to provide them with coronavirus support loans.

    Major banks including Lloyds, Santander and RBS are providing “Bounce Back” loans – designed to help businesses survive the pandemic – to existing customers but are refusing to open new business accounts.

    This is in spite of the Chancellor’s promise that the scheme would have “no complex eligibility criteria”. It has left thousands unable to access funding as they bank with smaller lenders that are not offering support loans.

    Kevin Hollinrake, a Conservative MP and co-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking, said: “We’ve been encouraging small firms to shop around and use start-up lenders, and many have done so. But now they are being punished for it. It’s not right.”

    Marianna Hunt has more on this story here.

    Trump changes tone on Covid-19 amid big poll deficit as race enters last 100 days

    Donald Trump has markedly changed his rhetoric on coronavirus this week as he attempts to claw back a big poll deficit to Joe Biden with the election race now entering its final 100 days. 

    With just over three months to go before voting day, Mr Trump trails Mr Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, by about nine points in nationwide polls. 

    In some polls just a third of Americans approve of Mr Trump’s handling of the pandemic - a major political problem given tackling the virus is one of the most dominant themes in the campaign. 

    Sam Nunberg, a former senior political adviser to Mr Trump who spent five years with him before the 2016 election, believes election considerations triggered the tone change. 

    “As someone who supports President Trump’s re-elect this recalibration was super necessary if the president was going to stand any chance,” he told The Telegraph. “It was quite clear that he was losing support among demographics that he won astronomically in 2016.”

    Read Ben Riley-Smith's ​full analysis here

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    Russia will only screen ‘light-hearted’ films when cinemas open 

    Russian cinemas will show only “light-hearted and simple” films when they open next week in a bid to boost spirits amid the coronavirus crisis, the culture minister has said. 

    Russians “are a little tired of sitting at home and may not be ready for heavy dramas right now,” minister Olga Lyubimova told state media. 

    Tear-jerkers will likely be available from the winter, Ms Lyubimova said following meetings with producers and distributors.

    “We understand very well that the young people who will be the first to come to theatres in the context of Coronavirus want something simple, they want date movies,” she added.

    Some Russians on social media have joked that limiting screenings to domestically produced comedies will be an effective way to keep audience numbers down during the pandemic.

    Theo Merz has the full story here, while the chart below shows the trajectory of Russia's outbreak:

    Predicted Indonesian baby boom prompts race to combat stunting 

    An anticipated pandemic-fuelled baby boom in Indonesia has spurred a renewed effort to fight one of the biggest health catastrophes afflicting the south east Asian country’s children – stunting. 

    The 1,000 Days Fund, a non-governmental organisation running a campaign to reduce childhood stunting, has donated 10,000 height charts to government-run hospitals to boost the fight against a “heartbreaking yet avoidable crisis.”

    Zack Petersen, lead strategist at the fund, told the Telegraph that the project had been adapted from a Gates Foundation-based study in Zambia that showed height charts in homes slashed stunting by 22 per cent.

    “The study said that by having a daily reminder inside the home, people were making better decisions. We took that idea and ran with it,” he said. 

    Nicola Smith has the full story here

    Prof Sarah Gilbert: Meet the woman behind the Oxford Vaccine

    Professor Sarah Gilbert keeps a mug on her desk that neatly surmises her life and work: ‘keep calm and develop vaccines’.

    It is a mantra that has served the professor of vaccinology at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute well. After all, the team she leads has surged to the very front of the global race to develop an effective coronavirus vaccine.

    This week Joe Shute sat down with Prof Gilbert to discuss hackers, anti-vaxxers and giving her triplets the jab. It's well worth reading the full interview here, but below are a couple of interesting snippets: 

    • The efficacy of the vaccine is also now a family affair; among those to have taken part in the phase 1 trial are her 21-year-old triplets, all biochemistry students (two at Oxford and one at Bath).
    • In recent days Russia has been accused by the security services of attempting to hack into vaccine development programmes at Oxford and Imperial. Professor Gilbert says they are often targeted with so-called phishing emails - 18 months ago she had to have her computer wiped after she received a message with an attachment apparently related to her work that hosted a virus.
    • Having seen the virus in microscopic detail, Professor Gilbert says there is no evidence to support the unfounded suggestions perpetuated online that Covid-19 was manmade and escaped from a Wuhan laboratory (more on this at 10:22am)
    • Professor Gilbert is against compulsory vaccination, suggesting education is a far better approach. “There does need to be more done to stop the spread of misinformation,” she says. “When you start to unpick the objections people have to vaccines, a lot of it doesn’t make any sense.”
    Prof Sarah Gilbert Credit:  John Lawrence

    In pictures: Britons head back to the gym 

    Members queue outside the entrance to one of the studios at David Lloyd Hampton club as it opens its gym and swimming pools at midinight in Twickenham last night Credit: Jeff Gilbert 
    Members workout in one of the studio classes held at David Lloyd Hampton club last night Credit: Jeff Gilbert 
    Local residents using the pool and gym facilities at London Aquatics Centre & Gym, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park after nearly four months Credit: Paul Grover 
    London Aquatics Centre & Gym, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Credit: Paul Grover 

    Lack of childcare found 'destroying' UK mothers' careers amid Covid-19 

    Almost three-quarters of mothers in Britain have been forced to cut work hours because of childcare issues under Covid-19 lockdowns, according to a survey by a maternal rights group which warned more action was needed to protect women's careers.

    More than eight in 10 employed mothers said they needed childcare to be able to work, but fewer than half said they had enough childcare to let them do their job during the pandemic, showed the survey by Pregnant Then Screwed released today. 

    "This lack of childcare is destroying women's careers," said the campaign group's founder and chief executive Joeli Brearley.

    "They are being made redundant, they are being forced to cut their hours, and they are being treated negatively all because they are picking up the unpaid labour."

    This is the latest in a series of reports that have shined a light on the lockdown gender gap - which we've been covering through our Equality Check campaign. Here are some of the best pieces from the last few weeks:  

    Texas braces for a hurricane amid a coronavirus resurgence

    The Tropical Storm Hanna has been upgraded to a hurricane today and is moving toward the Texas coast - threatening to bring heavy rain, storm surge and possible tornadoes to a State struggling to cope with a surge in coronavirus cases.

    The storm, which is the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, is expected to make landfall thisafternoon or evening south of Corpus Christi, the US National Hurricane Center has said. 

    It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was centered about 100 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi and was moving west at 9 mph.

    Many parts of Texas, including the area where Hanna is expected to come ashore, have been dealing with a spike in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, but local officials said they were prepared for whatever the storm may bring.

    "And don't feel like since we've been fighting Covid for five months, that we're out of energy or we're out of gas. We're not," Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb said yesterday. "We can do these two things together and we're going to win both of them."

    Tides rise at Bob Hall Pier as Hurricane Hanna approaches land in Corpus Christi, Texas on Saturday Credit: Courtney Sacco/Corpus Christi Caller-Times via AP

    Watch: Gyms and swimming pools reopen - here's what to expect

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    America's hidden virus victims

    Native Americans are dying from Covid-19 at a rate five times that of their white counterparts, Leana Hosea reports in this dispatch from the US - here's an extract: 

    The Navajo Nation spanning Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, at one point had the highest infection rates in the country. Racism spread alongside the virus in the predominantly white border towns. In Page, Arizona, a man urged people through Facebook to use “lethal force” against the Navajo because they were “100 per cent infected”. 

    Mary Lane was at the church meeting in early March, where the service included prayers for protection against the virus and it's where it's thought the outbreak started. Weeks later Mary was running a high fever. In their one room home, with no running water or electricity, the virus spread quickly to other family members.  

    After several weeks in hospital Mary recovered, as did her elderly mother Rena. Her extended family was not so lucky.

    “I don’t think my cousin knew he was spreading his germs”, explains the softly spoken 61 year-old sheep herder. “He died of Covid and he took his older brother with him. His grandson and son got it, but they recovered.  His mother passed on.”   

    From left to right: Zena, mother Rena and Mary Lane  Credit: Marsha Monestersky 

    Malaysia arrests Bangladeshi worker critical of its treatment of migrants

    Malaysian authorities have said today that they arrested a Bangladeshi man who criticised the government's treatment of migrant workers in a documentary by broadcaster Al Jazeera.

    The July 3 documentary on Malaysia's treatment of undocumented foreign workers during the Covid-19 pandemic sparked a backlash in the Southeast Asia nation, and an arrest warrant was issued for Mohammad Rayhan Kabir, the Bangladeshi worker quoted in the report.

    Rights groups have accused the government of suppressing media freedom after Al Jazeera journalists were called in for questioning by the police.

    Malaysia's immigration department said Rayhan had been arrested on Friday and would be expelled from the country.

    "This Bangladeshi national will be deported and blacklisted from entering Malaysia forever," Immigration Director General Khairul Dzaimee Daud said.

    He did not say why Rayhan was arrested or whether he was suspected of committing a crime. His department did not respond to further queries from Reuters.

    Qatar-based Al Jazeera said it was disturbing that Rayhan had been arrested "for choosing to speak up about some of the experiences of the voiceless and the vulnerable."

    Julie Walters, Michael Morpurgo and Paloma Faith among parents calling for a green recovery

    Julie Walters is among a group of more than 100 high-profile parents calling for a green economic recovery following the coronavirus pandemic.

    The Harry Potter actress, 70, signed an open letter to the Prime Minister demanding a low-carbon recovery of the economy, alongside author Michael Morpurgo and presenter Lorraine Kelly.

    It urges Boris Johnson not to "build our way out of one disaster by supercharging the next" in response to Covid-19, pointing to the impact such moves will have on the younger generations.

    The letter, co-ordinated by parent groups Mothers Rise Up and Parents For Future UK, also warns of a "trade-off between creating jobs now and building a fairer, safer world for all our children".

    "We all want governments to do everything in their power to stop the virus spreading and get people back on their feet," Walters said. "For the sake of our children, we also need governments to put the same energy and investment into preventing an even greater climate catastrophe from unfolding across the globe."

    Other signatories include actress and model Lily Cole, technology entrepreneur Martha Lane-Fox and singer Paloma Faith. The letter is to be published ahead of a parent protest outside Downing Street on Sunday, during which a mocked-up wind farm will be created.

    Scotland and Wales report no new fatalities

    More daily UK coronavirus numbers have been announced. In Wales 30 new cases have been reported today, but there are no new deaths.

    And in Scotland the numbers are incredibly similar - 27 new infections and no new deaths.

    Earlier today, NHS England announced 25 additional deaths - scroll down to 1:02pm for details. 

    Germany considers mandatory Covid tests for holidaymakers

    In another indication of the difficulties in reopening international borders, Germany has said it introduce compulsory coronavirus testing for holidaymakers returning from high-risk destinations.

    It comes after the number of new infections in the country hit a two-month high, the health minister, Jens Spahn, told Deutschlandfunk radio today.

    He added that the government wants to do everything possible to stem the spread of the virus while also respecting people's basic rights.

    "We are also checking whether it is legally possible to oblige someone to do a test, because it would be an encroachment on freedom," Spahn said.

    The minister, who is a senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, added that the courts were examining all coronavirus measures to ensure they are proportionate in light of their impact on basic rights.

    Yesterday Spahn and his regional counterparts from Germany's 16 federal states agreed that authorities would offer returning holidaymakers free tests on a voluntary basis.

    Arrivals from countries designated as high-risk - which currently include the United States, Brazil and Turkey - will be eligible for immediate tests, while arrivals from other places will be able to get tested within three days.

    Afternoon summary

    Here's a quick recap of some of the key stories you should be aware of today:

    • Gyms and swimming pools have reopened in England today, but industry leaders warn that they face an uncertain financial future - and just 20 per cent of facilities have opened their doors today. 
    • Meanwhile the Government has confirmed it will reveal its obesity strategy "very soon", as new data found that obesity increases the risk of dying from Covid-19 by 40 per cent, while a body mass index of 40 or more increases the risk by 90 per cent.
    • High Court judge is to stop hearing a case centred on the care of a child after "pejorative comments" she made about the youngster's mother were accidentally broadcast to people who had been taking part in a hearing via an online link.
    • An osteoporosis drug reduces coronavirus infection by 85 per cent in human cells, say scientists, opening the door to a quick new treatment for the condition.
    • Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has said that he has tested negative for the Covid-18, based on a fourth test since he said July 7 that he had the virus.
    • Iran's President, Hassan Rouhani, urged people today to observe health protocols and practice social distancing during upcoming Muslim festivities, as a health official said there had been a surge in coronavirus infections in a major holy city.
    • Visitors to Greece arriving by air from Bulgaria and Romania will need to provide proof they have tested negative for coronavirus to gain entry, Greece's Civil Protection authority said today. 

    Plus - close to 40 countries have reported record single-day increases in infections over the past week.

    The rate of cases has been increasing not only in countries like the US, Brazil and India, which have dominated global headlines with large outbreaks, but in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Bolivia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Uzbekistan and Israel, among others.

    Scroll down for all the latest news. 

    Lack of testing means we will never know true death toll, Sage professor says

    Britain will never know how many people died from coronavirus because there was not enough testing from the outset, a professor who sits on the Government’s Sage advisory board has said. 

    Sir David Spiegelhalter, professor of understanding of risk at the University of Cambridge, said the UK was “operating in the dark for so long” at the beginning of the pandemic.

    The lack of clarity could have been remedied if the Government implemented random sample testing early on to get a clearer understanding of what was unfolding, Sir David said during an online lecture held by the New Scientist.

    Delays to routine surgery and postponed cancer treatments due to the lockdown will also make it hard to examine the true scale of casualties from the pandemic, he added. 

    Izzy Lyons has the full story here.

    Bolsonaro says he's test negative for Covid-19

    Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has said that he has tested negative for the Covid-18, based on a fourth test since he said July 7 that he had the virus.

    "Good morning everyone," Bolsonaro wrote on Facebook after reporting that the test was "negative."

    The 65-year-old leader didn't say when he did the new test. On Wednesday, he had tested positive for the third time.

    The President has repeatedly trivialised the pandemic, calling the virus "little flu" and flouting social distancing. Brazil is the second worst hit country worldwide, with more than 84,000 fatalities reported to date.

    President Jair Bolsonaro Credit: AP Photo/Eraldo Peres

    TfL seeks second bailout as funding shortfall widens to £6.4bn 

    Transport for London is set to ask the Government for a second bailout after the pandemic pushed its funding shortfall to £6.4bn, Simon Foy reports.

    The network will need total funding of £3.5bn from the taxpayer for the current financial year, according to a revised budget released on Friday – an increase of £300m from previous estimates. 

    The sluggish return of passengers means it will also require an additional £2.9bn for the financial year 2021-22, TfL said.

    It comes as the transport operator has been left reeling as a result of the UK's lockdown, with passenger numbers continuing to be hammered by restrictions.  In May, the network was given a £1.6bn bailout after income from fares plummeted. 

    We have more details on this here

    WHO: 'Our decisions have life and death consequences'

    Decisions about where you go, what you do and who you meet during the Covid-19 pandemic are "life and death", the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned. 

    "We are asking everyone to treat these decisions as life and death decisions, because they are," Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual Covid-19 briefing from Geneva. 

    "It may not be your life, but your choices could be the difference between life and death for someone you love, or for a complete stranger." 

    Read more about the warning here - or you watch below:

    'Enough moaning about masks'

    The wartime generation would think we were babies, writes Michael Deacon. Without complaint, they made vast sacrifices for the good of others. Why should I throw a tantrum over a little strip of cloth? 

    What is it with this fuss about face masks? Not that I like the things. I don’t. They’re stuffy. They’re uncomfortable. They’re ugly. They make the lower half of my face look like a badly wrapped sandwich.

    But sure, I’ll wear one down Tesco. If scientists think it’ll help prevent people without symptoms from spreading the disease to the more vulnerable, then I’ll take their word for it. They tend to know more about these things than I do.

    In any case, if I refused to wear a mask, I suspect I’d feel like a tiny bit of a crybaby. I’d remember the vast personal sacrifices that previous generations were willing to make for the sake of others in times of national crisis. And here I am, I’d think, throwing a tantrum because I’ve been asked to wear a small strip of cloth for two minutes in WH Smith.

    I mean, how I would have behaved during the Second World War? Would I have refused to put up blackout curtains during the Blitz? 

    Read the full article here

    Fourteen-year-old girl raped in Delhi coronavirus quarantine centre

    Fears for the safety of women and girls have been sparked after a 14-year-old girl was raped by two men while staying at India’s largest Covid-19 quarantine centre in New Delhi.

    The Delhi Police have charged a 19-year-old with the sexual assault, while an accomplice is accused of standing guard and filming the incident.

    The attack took place in the female bathroom of the 10,000-bed Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre and Hospital in the Chhatarpur neighbourhood. 

    The facility was opened for people with moderate symptoms who cannot self-isolate at home - typically families from poor backgrounds who share one-room apartments in slum areas.

    The assault took place on July 15 but the two men, who were also quarantining in the facility, could not be arrested until Wednesday when they had tested negative for Covid-19.

    Joe Wallen has the full story here

    England: 25 more Covid-19 related hospital deaths today.

    Another 25 fatalities have been reported in England today: 

    Judge in hot water after accidentally broadcasting comments post hearing

    A High Court judge is to stop hearing a case centred on the care of a child after "pejorative comments" she made about the youngster's mother during a private telephone conversation with her clerk were accidentally broadcast to people who had been taking part in a hearing via an online link.

    Mrs Justice Judd had said the woman was pretending to have a cough and was trying "every trick in the book" to avoid answering difficult questions, PA reports.

    She had not realised that a link to the virtual courtroom remained open on her, closed, laptop.

    Court of Appeal judges have decided that another judge should take control of the case.

    Mrs Justice Judd had been overseeing a private, partly-virtual - or hybrid, hearing in the Family Division of the High Court, earlier this month.

    She had been sitting in a courtroom at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The woman, and lawyers representing her, had also been in the courtroom.

    Coronavirus crisis could spark huge waves of migrants and refugees

    The dire economic impact of the global coronavirus pandemic is likely to propel new waves of migrants and refugees towards the richer parts of the world, the head of the Red Cross has warned. 

    People from poor countries may also seek to reach wealthier nations in order to access anti-Covid 19 vaccinations, particularly if rich countries try to buy up supplies if and when they become commercially available.

    “We should not be surprised if there is a massive impact on migration in the coming months and years,” said Jagan Chapagain, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

    National lockdowns and the collapse of businesses around the globe are likely to propel huge numbers of migrants, in addition to the vast flows that have been seen in recent years as a result of war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.

    Nick Squires has the full story here

    Credit: MANOLIS LAGOUTARIS/AFP via Getty Images

    PM: 'Very open questions' over whether lockdown was too late

    An important story you might have missed yesterday: Boris Johnson has suggested there are “very open questions” about whether the UK should have gone into lockdown earlier as he acknowledged there were things “we could have done differently" at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Asked if the Government responded too slowly to slow the spread of the virus, the Prime Minister said there were things “we didn’t understand in the way we would have liked in the first few weeks and months.”

    Speaking on the first anniversary of his premiership, Mr Johnson added that the “single thing” that the UK had not foreseen at the beginning was the extent to which the virus was being “transmitted asymptomatically”. 

    Pressed on what went wrong, he told the BBC: "I think it's fair to say that there are things that we need to learn about how we handled it in the early stages. There will be plenty of opportunities to learn the lessons of what happened."

    Read the full story here.

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    Greece unveils vaccine allocation plan to prioritse the elderly

    Developing vaccines is just one part of the problem facing scientists and policy makers - who will get immunisations first when they're in short demand is also bound to be controversial.

    Today Greece's health minister has said that the country will prioritise giving coronavirus vaccines to the elderly and high-risk groups if and when they become available.

    "If and when a vaccine comes, we will prioritise those who must take it above all," Vassilis Kikilias told Skai TV. "Who is that? Our very aged fellow citizens, the very elderly, high-risk groups...we will protect those in danger."

    He added that vaccines will not be compulsory but they will be "strongly recommended."

    Greece has so far recorded 201 Covid-19 deaths and more than 4,100 infections.

    ​Related: Deprived communities should be front of line for vaccine

    Thousands of stranded Filipinos crammed into baseball stadium 

    An interesting story here via Reuters from the Philippines: 

    Thousands of Filipinos were crammed into a baseball stadium in Manila today, breaking social distancing rules despite coronavirus risks, after people wanting to return to their home provinces flooded a government transportation program.

    Officials had reserved the stadium as a place to test people before transporting them back to their home provinces under a program to help people who had lost their jobs in the capital return to their families elsewhere.

    Officials had planned for 7,500 people to arrive at the stadium from Friday, but were caught out when another 2,000 people who were not yet scheduled to travel headed there anyway.

    "Because of the overflowing number of people, we can no longer control (the situation) and the relevance of social distancing had been diminished," Assistant Secretary Joseph Encabo, who is overseeing the government's transportation assistance program, told Reuters by phone.

    Police were deployed to urge social distancing, but people, including the elderly, children and pregnant women, were seen in close contact with each other. Some were not wearing masks.

    Many of those at the stadium had got stuck in the capital when it imposed one of the strictest and longest lockdowns in mid-March in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Related: Philippines turns to 'war on drugs' tactics to beat Covid, sparking human rights fears

    Masks and Matisse: what's it like inside the re-opened Tate Modern?

    On Monday, Tate reopens its doors after more than four months in lockdown. The nation’s museums and galleries have been allowed to do so since July 4, with the National Gallery first out of the block on July 8. So why the delay? Find out here.

    Staff members pose at different artwork in masks. London, UK. Pictured at Henri Matisse, The Snail 1953.  Credit: Rii Schroer 
    A visitor looks at Lenin, 1986 (L) and Statue of Liberty (Fabis) 1986 in the Andy Warhol exhibition at the Tate Modern in London on July 24, 2020, during a press preview Credit: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP

    Analysis: NHS waiting times surge

    Some stark analysis from George Batchelor, co-founder and Director of Edge Health, a firm which specialises in the use of economics and data science science to help the NHS be more productive and effective:

    Football star Xavi Hernandez tests positive for Covid-19

    In sports news - former Barcelona star Xavi Hernandez has tested positive for coronavirus, his Qatari club Al-Sadd said today, adding he would miss their league restart fixture against Al-Khor.

    Xavi, 40, recently quashed rumours that he was preparing to move back to Barcelona and signed on for another season at the helm of the Qatari top-flight side.

    "A few days ago, following the Qatar Stars League protocol, I tested positive in the last Covid-19 test," Xavi said on Twitter. "Fortunately, I'm feeling ok, but I will be isolated until I am given the all clear. When the health services allow it, I will be very eager to return to my daily routine and to work."

    Almost 4 percent of Qatar's 2.75 million people have had coronavirus, with 108,638 cases reported since the start of the pandemic - giving the tiny Gulf state one of the highest per capita total infection rates.

    However the Gas-rich country has reported just 164 deaths meaning it has one of the world's lowest virus death rates and 105,420 people have recovered from Covid-19, according to official statistics.

    Al Sadd's Spanish coach Xavi Hernandez Credit: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP

    France: Concerns that R value has reached 1.3

    France's coronavirus infection rate is continuing its worrisome upward creep, with health authorities saying the closely watched "R" gauge is now up to 1.3, suggesting that infected people are on average contaminating 1.3 others.

    Also increasing is the daily number of new cases, up to 1,130 yesterday. In their daily statement on the French outbreak that has claimed 30,192 lives, health authorities warned that the country is going backward in its battle and that infection indicators now again resemble those seen in May when France was coming out of its strict two-month lockdown.

    "We have thus erased much of the progress that we'd achieved in the first weeks of lockdown-easing," health authorities said.

    They appealed for a return to "collective discipline," asking that people work from home and get tested if they have any suspicions of infection.

    Here's a look at the trajectory of the country's outbreak:

    Osteoporosis drug reduces coronavirus infection by 85 per cent

    An osteoporosis drug reduces coronavirus infection by 85 per cent in human cells, say scientists, opening the door to a quick new treatment for the condition.

    The widely used drug apilimod is one of 13 new medications that have been found to fight coronavirus when scientists screened nearly 12,000 treatment to see if any could battle Covid-19.

    Repurposing drugs is a fast way to find new treatments because safety concerns have already been addressed, which speeds up their availability.

    Other drugs discovered to have anti-Covid-19 properties include an HIV medication called R 82913, and a diabetes treatment.

    A drug developed to treat autoimmune disorders such as Crohn’s disease, may also be effective, the scientists conclude in a paper published in the journal Nature.

    Sarah Knapton has the full story here

    The 'new normal': Your guide as gyms reopen

    Here you can find everything you need to know as gyms and swimming pools reopen in England today:

    Boutique gym 1Rebel owner James Balfour stands in front of newly spread out spin bikes, while operations manager Lewis Parkinson disinfects the machines  Credit: JULIAN SIMMONDS

    Record daily increase in cases in Hong Kong

    A spike in cases is continuing in Hong Kong, where 133 new coronavirus caseswere reported today. This number included 126 that were locally transmitted - a record for a daily increase - as authorities warned that the city faces a critical period in containing the virus.

    Since late January, more than 2,000 people have been infected in Hong Kong, 18 of whom have died.

    In other numbers updates - Indonesia reported 1,868 new coronavirus infections on today, bringing the total to 97,286, while Russia has reported 5,871 new infections.

    Today in pictures: Megacities under Covid-19

    New York, US

    People enjoy al fresco dining in Manhattan, New York City Credit: REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
    New Yorkers relax amid restrictions in a park in Brooklyn Credit:  Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

     New Delhi, India:

    Balconies are illuminated with candles and torches to mark the country's fight against Covid-19 in Greater Noida, a suburb of New Delhi, India
    A hospital staff sanitizes a makeshift Covid-19 care center at an indoor sports stadium in New Delhi, India Credit: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

    Government considers drive-through flu-jab clinics   

    Drive-through flu-jab clinics are being considered to deliver the biggest-ever vaccination programme this winter, Laura Donnelly reports. 

    Yesterday Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that more than half the population of England will be offered free jabs, to ensure the NHS can cope if there is a second wave of coronavirus.

    Health officials are now in talks about how to ensure good uptake, with ambitions to vaccinate 30 million people, up from 15 million last year.

    However, most GP practices are restricting face-to-face consultations, and the Royal College of General Practitioners has warned that administering the jabs could take twice as long as normal, because of the need to wear protective equipment.

    Find out all the details here - and if you're interested in the threat of influenza, we wrote about how Latin America (where flu season has already started) is trying to prevent a double whammy of infections here.

    Batwoman: 'Trump owes us an apology'

    The Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli, widely nicknamed 'batwoman', has been thrown into the limelight during the pandemic. She is a world leading expert on bat coronaviruses and works at the Wuhan Insitute of Virology (WIV), in the city where the pandemic first began.

    Both Shi and the lab have been the subject of widespread conspiracy theories throughout the outbreak, with people including President Donald Trump pushing the idea that the virus accidentally escaped from the WIV - or was perhaps even engineered there. 

    But in an interview with Science Magazine Shi has finally broken her silence on the attacks against her and the details of her work. Here are a few of the key elements of the interview:

    • Shi said that Trump "owes us an apology" as his claims that the virus escaped from the lab contract the facts and jeopardises both the academic work and personal lives of researchers at the WIV. 
    • She said the lab has isolated and grown only three bat coronavirus in the last 15 years, all of which related to Sars.
    • Some 2,000 other bat coronaviruses held at the lab are simply genetic sequences that have been extracted from animal samples - they are not live viruses. 
    • Shi said it is "absurd" that the US has suspended funding for EcoHealth Alliance to work in China (the Telegraph spoke to the organisation's head, Peter Daszak, about this here). 
    Shi Zhengli working in the field on collecting bat samples.  Credit: Wuhan Institute of Virology

    European nations tighten travel restrictions for Spain 

    In  a blow to the European tourism season, France’s prime minister Jean Castex has called on Spain to severely limit border crossings and advised French people against travelling to Catalonia due to "deteriorating sanitary indicators.”

    France is has also announced plans to test all French people arriving or coming  from 16 “red list” countries for Covid-19.  

    Germany announced it would offer returning holidaymakers free coronavirus tests in airports to prevent a new wave of infections, as the country recorded its highest number of daily cases for two months.  

    Norway, which has an estimated 10,000 tourists in Spain, announced it would reimpose a ten-day quarantine for people arriving from Spain from today.  

    Here's a look at the trajectory of Spain's pandemic - and you can follow all the latest travel news over on our travel-specific liveblog.

    A record surge in global infections 

    The World Health Organization has reported a record surge in daily new infections, with cases rising by 2,84,296 as the epidemic continues to grow exponentially across the globe. 

    But it's worth taking a moment to see just what that looks like - here's the chart from the WHO's daily situation report that visualises the increase.

    It's notable just how small the outbreak in China now looks, but the chart also clearly demonstrates how the pandemic has ebbed and flowed in different regions of the globe as the epicentre has shifted:

    Credit: WHO

    In terms of the details - aases rose by 284,196 in just 24 hours, driven by surges in the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa. Deaths rose by 9,753, the most in one day since a record high of 9,797 deaths on April 30.

    The previous WHO record for new cases was 259,848 on July 18. Deaths have been averaging 5,000 a day in July, up from an average of 4,600 a day in June.

    Obesity: 'Telling people what to do isn't enough'

    In the UK, gyms, swimming pools and the governments upcoming strategy to combat obesity really are the the hot topics this morning. 

    Professor John Newton, of Public Health England, has told BBC Radio Four saidhe believes calorie labelling would help people make decisions when it comes to their diet. 

    "Telling people what to do isn't enough on its own. But at the same time people do need information, people need to understand, for example, if you're ordering a takeaway and it turns out it's got 3,000 calories in it, it would be helpful to know that at the time of ordering.

    He added that the timing of the PHE report into Covid and obesity - which found that those who have a high BMI are at far higher risk from the virus (details here) - was "not accidental". 

    "There was a need to respond to the pandemic and we are optimistic that Government is serious about tackling obesity and that is just based on what the Prime Minister has been saying," Prof Newton said. 

    Ukraine: highest number of new cases reported for a month

    In Ukraine, just over 1,100 cases have been reported within the last 24 hours - the highest daily total since June 26.

    The number of new daily infections has increased sharply in the past two months following the gradual lifting of restrictions that began in late-May. A total of 63,929 cases, including 1,590 deaths, have now been reported. 

    Health Minister Maksym Stepanov urged people to stick to the rules when he addressed an online briefing this morning.

    This week, Ukraine' sgovernment extended a nationwide lockdown until Augysee 31, requiring people to wear masks and adhere to social distancing rules in restaurants and public places. But separate regions will be able to ease the regime if warranted.

    Here's a look at the trajectory of the country's outbreak:

    Swimming pools hit hard by financial losses in lockdown 

    There's much excitement this morning as gyms and swimming pools are able to reopen for the first time since lockdown came into effect. 

    But Jane Nickerson, chief executive of Swim England, has estimated that just 20 per cent of pools will be able to open their doors. 

    "They haven't had any money over the last three months at all," she said, adding that even before Covid-19 hit the UK was facing losing 40 per cent of its pool stock by the end of the decade. 

    "Without some Government support, I think a lot of pools will fail to open this year or if ever," she told BBC Radio Four this morning. 

    "One of our biggest, biggest fears is that there will be a lost generation of children this year who don't learn to swim," she added.

    Lisa Phillips, the first swimmer to go for a swim at David Lloyd Hampton club in Twickenham, London as it opens its gym and swimming pools at midinight for the first time since lockdown for members. Credit: Jeff Gilbert 

    Watch: Spain extends coronavirus restrictions as second wave looms

    Placeholder image for youtube video: vCMTYgoXaMw

    Global update

    Just joining us? Here's a roundup of all the international news to be aware of this morning:

    • The total number of cases in Africa has surpassed 800,000 as the pandemic rapidly spirals across the 54-nation continent. South Africa has well over half the reported cases, but infections are now climbing rapidly in other countries including Kenya.
    • India began its first human trials of a coronavirus vaccine candidate, as the world's second-most populous country recorded nearly 49,000 new cases. 
    • In Brazil Sao Paulo has postponed its 2021 Carnival celebrations. This comes as Formula One scrapped its next planned race here, underlying the enduring effects policymakers expect the coronavirus pandemic to have on the country.
    • South Korea has reported 113 newly confirmed infections over the past 24 hours - its first daily jump above 100 in nearly four months. The jump was expected, though, as it is driven by imported cases from cargo-ship crews and hundreds of South Korean construction workers flown out of virus-ravaged Iraq.
    • Vietnam was back on high alert for the novel coronavirus today after medical officials in the central city of Danang detected what appears to be the first local Covid-19 case in the Southeast Asian country for three months.
    • In the US the mayor of New Orleans has announced that the city's bars will be shut and is forbidding restaurants from selling take away alcoholic drinks because of rising coronavirus numbers. Mississippi has also announced new restrictions on bars and social gatherings - the mayor says this is due to "young, drunk, careless folks".

    People urged to loose weight as gyms reopen 

    The pandemic has shone a bright light on the nation's waistline. According to research published by Public Health England overnight, obesity increases the risk of dying from Covid-19 by 40 per cent, while a body mass index of 40 or more increases the risk by 90 per cent.

    The report comes as the Government prepares to reveal its own obesity strategy "very soon", with junk food adverts expected to be banned on television before the 9pm watershed and outlawed entirely online.

    The Telegraph also understands that there are plans for calorie labels on pints of beer and bottles of wine as part of a crackdown on alcohol (full story here). 

    "The case for action on obesity has never been stronger," said Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE. 

    With all this in mind, perhaps many will be relieved that gyms and pools are able to reopen across the country today, as part of the lasing of easing of lockdown measures.

    At the start of the pandemic there were hopes that the nation would turn to exercise. But the PHE data also showed that the public has been snacking more in lockdown and, despite increases in sales of bikes and exercise equipment, overall activity levels appear to have dropped compared to before the pandemic. 

    Members queue outside the entrance to a gym and swimming pool in Twickenham, as it reopened at midnight for members for the first time since lockdown started Credit: Jeff Gilbert 

    Could gloves be the next step?

    During a debate in the House of Lords on coronavirus regulations health yesterday, it emerged that Ministers are considering requiring the public to wear gloves to combat coronavirus  - as well as face coverings.

    Health minister Lord Bethell said gloves are "an area we’re looking at" as the Government considers how best to protect the public.

    Speaking in the Lords, Conservative Baroness McIntosh of Pickering asked: "Has the Government formed a view on the use of gloves?

    "Obviously we're all following the guidance of washing our hands but surely the correct use of gloves outdoors and indoors could prevent the passing on of the virus?"

    Lord Bethell, concluding a debate on coronavirus regulations, replied: "To date, gloves are not in the guidance but they remain an area that we're looking at."

    Read more about this story here

    Record numbers of cases in every global region

    Almost 40 countries have reported record single-day increases in coronavirus infections over the past week, around double the number that did so the previous week.

    A Reuters tally has shown a pick-up in the pandemic in every region of the world.

    The rate of cases has been increasing not only in countries like the United States, Brazil and India - which have dominated global headlines with large outbreaks - but also in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Bolivia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Uzbekistan and Israel, among others.

    Many countries, especially those where officials eased earlier lockdowns, are experiencing a second peak more than a month after recording their first.

    Vietnam reports first local infection in 100 days

    Vietnam reported its first local coronavirus infection for more than three months on Saturday after a man in the central city of Danang tested positive four times for the virus, a government statement said.

    Thanks to strict quarantine measures and an aggressive and widespread testing programme, Vietnam had kept its virus total to an impressively low 415 cases, and had reported no locally transmitted infections for 100 days.

    The health ministry said a 57-year-old man from Danang, a tourist hot spot, had tested positive, prompting the isolation of 50 people he came into contact with.

    The ministry said 103 people connected to the patient were tested for the virus, but all returned negative results.

    The government said on Saturday that a new test had confirmed the man's infection, bringing the total number of cases in Vietnam to 416.

    It did not say how the man contracted the virus but that he had not left Danang for nearly a month. He was initially diagnosed with pneumonia.

    Bus driver beaten with baseball bat

    A passenger on a bus in San Francisco beat the driver with a baseball bat after he and two companions were asked to wear masks.

    The driver asked the three men several times and pulled over to let them off when they refused.

    “As the victim was escorting the males off the bus, one of the males pulled out a wooden bat and struck the victim several times,” police said.

    'Social media influencer' arrested for breaking quarantine

    Investigators with the Hawaii attorney-general's office have arrested a 20-year-old woman after seeing videos of her dancing in a store and dining out when she was supposed to be obeying a travel quarantine.

    Anne Salamanca arrived in Honolulu on July 6 and, four days later, the Hawaii Tourism Authority learned she was out in public - in violation of the 14-day quarantine, the state said on Friday.

    The tourism authority informed attorney-general special agents, who were shown videos of her dancing and dining.

    The state said Ms Salamanca is from Birmingham, Alabama.

    She's also a "social media influencer" in the Philippines, who goes by Mika Salamanca and arrived from Manila, KITV reported.

    Anne Salamanca Credit: Hawaii Department of Public Safety via AP

    The Honolulu news station reported she apologised on social media, but claimed law enforcement went to the house where she was staying and told her that if she had a negative Covid-19 test, she could go out.

    "None of my investigators would convey that information, as it is incorrect," Hawaii Attorney-General Clare Connors said.

    "The fact Ms Salamanca has so many followers makes her actions that much more dangerous and concerning. The spread of misinformation can have very severe consequences during an emergency situation like we are in now."

    50-person limit on church services upheld in Supreme Court

    The US Supreme Court on Friday declined to lift a 50-person limit on religious services adopted by Nevada's Democratic governor in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    By a 5-4 vote, the justices denied a request by Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley in rural Nevada for an interim order that would have allowed it to host services for about 90 congregants.

    Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a dissent that Nevada was discriminating against religious groups in favour of casinos, which under Governor Steve Sisolak's reopening plans do not face the same 50-person limit on indoor gatherings.

    Casinos have reopened in Nevada without the same 50-person limit Credit: WIREIMAGE

    Beijing cinemas reopen

    Beijing partially reopened cinemas on Friday as the threat from coronavirus continues to recede in China's capital.

    Cinemas in parts of the city deemed at low risk of cross infection began admitting moviegoers under social distancing rules.

    Tickets must be booked in advance, attendance is capped at 30 per cent of capacity and no eating or drinking is allowed during the show.

    As with most venues in China, a temperature check and online travel record were required for entry.

    Cinemas have been closed for around six months but began reopening this week in major cities throughout the country.

    China reported 21 new virus cases on Friday, six of them imported.

    Masks and social distancing are a must in Beijing's cinemas Credit: GETTY IMAGES

    Cases spike in South Korea

    South Korea has reported 113 newly confirmed cases of Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, its first daily jump of more than 100 in nearly four months.

    Health authorities forecast a temporary spike, driven by imported infections found among cargo ship crews and hundreds of South Korean construction workers airlifted out of virus-ravaged Iraq.

    The figures released by South Korea's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention brought the national cases to 14,092, including 298 deaths.

    The KCDC said 86 of the new cases were linked to international arrivals, while the other 27 were local transmissions. 

    A medical worker at H Plus Yangji Hospital in Seoul Credit: BLOOMBERG

    Brothers charged after fight over masks

    Two brothers in California have been charged after getting into a brawl with store security guards for not wearing masks.

    Phillip, 31, and Paul Hamilton, 29, were confronted by the guards at a Target store in Van Nuys after they were spotted without face coverings.

    As they were being escorted out, the pair allegedly punched one of the four security guards and a brawl ensued, leaving one of the guards with a broken arm, according to the complaint.

    "Not wearing a mask is selfish, wrong and illegal," Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said on Friday.

    "We will absolutely not tolerate violence in response to appropriate efforts to assure business patrons wear face coverings.

    "We have one common enemy - and it's the virus, not each other."

    The brothers have been charged with multiple counts of battery and trespass and face more than a year in jail if convicted.

    Wills by Zoom to be made legal

    Wills that are witnessed using video technology such as Zoom and FaceTime are to be made legal in England and Wales, making it easier for people to record their final wishes during the coronavirus pandemic.

    The reforms legalising the remote witnessing of wills will be backdated to January 31, 2020, the date of the first confirmed coronavirus case in the UK, the Government said.

    It means that any will witnessed by video technology from that date will be legally accepted.

    The measures will remain in place until January 2022.

    The requirement of two witnesses will be maintained, but they can be on Zoom Credit: GETTY IMAGES

    Now you might have to wear gloves

    Ministers are considering requiring the public to wear gloves to combat coronavirus, as well as face coverings.

    During a debate in the House of Lords on coronavirus regulations, Health Minister Lord Bethell said gloves are "an area we’re looking at" as the Government considers how best to protect the public.

    The exchanges came on the day people in England were required to start wearing face coverings in shops, shopping centres, banks, takeaways, post offices, sandwich shops and supermarkets or risk a £100 fine.

    Read more: Gloves may be next step after masks in battle against coronavirus

    Credit: GETTY IMAGES

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