We’re closing our live coverage of the latest coronavirus developments for now. Thank you for joining us.

Today’s updates have been brought to you by Doug Faulkner, Mary O’Connor, George Bowden and Hazel Shearing. The editor was Rob Corp.

We’ll be bringing our live coverage to a close shortly. In case you missed it, here is a final roundup of the day’s top headlines around the world:

• The UK has recorded another 26,852 new positive cases and a further 170 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to the government dashboard, external
• The number of deaths reported today is the highest daily figure since 12 March
• Some 47,369,418 people have received a first dose of a Covid vaccine – while 40,841,971 have had a second dose
• This means more than 89.6% of the adult population have had a first jab, while 77.2% are fully vaccinated
• The medicines regulator has said the Moderna Covid vaccine is safe and effective to use in 12 to 17-year-olds across the UK. The decision on whether to offer the jabs to this age group will be informed by recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations
• Japan extended its state of emergency in Tokyo and other regions and unveiled new measures covering seven more areas to tackle a spike in coronavirus cases, according to Reuters
• New Zealand will enter a short lockdown after a single Covid case was discovered in the community for the first time since February
• UK job vacancies hit a record high as the labour market continues to "rebound robustly", according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)

The UK has recorded another 26,852 new positive cases and a further 170 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to the government dashboard, external.

Meanwhile, 47,369,418 people have received a first dose of a Covid vaccine - a rise of 35,716 on the previous day.

There have been a total of 40,841,971 second doses, a rise of 138,390 on the previous day.

So far, more than 89.6% of the adult population have had a first jab, while 77.2% are fully vaccinated.

Image source, Family photo

An NHS worker in Wales who died from coronavirus was unlikely to have caught the virus at work, a coroner has ruled.

Alan Macalalad, from Llwynypia, Rhondda Cynon Taf, died on 20 May last year after going into cardiac arrest at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant.

The 44-year-old from the Philippines worked as a theatre assistant for Cardiff and Vale health board.

An inquest heard he had Type-2 diabetes and needed surgery in 2019 due to having pneumonia and collapsed lungs.

The pandemic led Mr Macalalad to raise concerns with his manager and his GP about Covid-19 and his duties were changed and moved to a role where there would be no contact with patients.

On 5 May 2020, his wife Elsie, who is a nurse at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda, called to say she had been sent home with Covid-19 symptoms.

He was asymptomatic but he was also sent home to self-isolate and did eventually show symptoms.

Mr Macalalad was admitted to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital on 20 May where he suffered a blocked blood vessel in the lungs and went into cardiac arrest.

Coroner Graeme Hughes said the medical cause of death was Covid-19 pneumonitis leading to coronary thromboembolism and diabetes.

You can read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

Taking a holiday abroad is not straightforward at the moment, so many people are choosing to enjoy a break in the UK this summer.

But what are the rules?

• All holiday accommodation - including hotels, hostels, B&B, caravans and boats - can operate across the UK
• You can travel freely between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but you must self-isolate if you have Covid symptoms or have tested positive
• Anyone planning a trip to the Scottish islands is asked to take two lateral flow tests - one on the day of travel and one three days before
• People travelling to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK are also advised to test before departure and after arrival, but this is not law
• There is no requirement for social distancing, and no limits on how many people can stay together in holiday accommodation or private homes in England, Scotland or Wales

However, there are still some restrictions in place in Northern Ireland:

• 10 people from three households can meet and stay indoors in private dwellings and holiday accommodation
• Unlimited households can meet outdoors
• Social distancing of 1m (3ft) remains for many indoor activities, including restaurants, retail and shopping centres
• No social distancing laws outdoors, or on public transport, but 1m (3ft) recommended

The Northern Ireland Executive is due to discuss easing remaining restrictions at its next meeting on 1 September

You can read our full explainer here.

Image source, PA Media

The Scottish government is seeking to make many of its emergency coronavirus powers permanent, including the ability to close schools, introduce lockdowns and operate virtual courts.

It is also looking at a change in the law to permanently allow them to release prisoners early or permit a wider range of healthcare workers to administer vaccinations.

In June, MSPs agreed to extend the emergency measures until March 2022, with the option of extending them for six months, to September 2022, without passing a new law.

Announcing a public consultation on removing the planned expiry date, SNP Deputy First Minister and Covid Recovery Secretary John Swinney insisted that some of the changes have had a "demonstrable benefit to the people of Scotland".

The consultation published by ministers argues that making many of the measures permanent would ensure "ministers can respond effectively and rapidly to any future threats to public health in Scotland" and not just coronavirus.

Under the proposals, ministers would also be able to order school closures "during the remainder of the pandemic" or for any future outbreak of an infectious disease, so long as they believe it is "necessary and proportionate", and the chief medical officer has been consulted.

The consultation also suggests a permanent shift to more digital options, including the remote registration of deaths or still births, council meetings and electronic court documents.

Mr Swinney said: "As we enter the recovery phase, we now have a unique opportunity to reimagine how health and social care, learning and justice services can be designed and delivered around the lives and needs of the people who use them."

He added that the government remains "committed to expiring or suspending any existing provisions that are no longer necessary, and will continue to report to Parliament every two months on the use of any temporary powers".

The public will have 12 weeks until the consultation period ends on 9 November to share their views.

Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: "These powers were intended to be temporary measures to deal with the pandemic.

"The fact that SNP ministers are now seeking to make many of them permanent is a clear sign they are unwilling to give up their control over people's lives.

"It is a dangerous route to go down to allow ministers to implement sweeping powers upon society on a whim."

Kerry Allen
BBC Monitoring, Chinese Media Analyst

Image source, Reuters

The Hong Kong government has announced that from Friday, arrivals from 15 countries that have been newly reclassified as “high risk”, external will have to quarantine for 21 days.

Residents from countries including the US, France and Spain will have to quarantine for this length of time, regardless of whether or not they have been vaccinated. This is currently already the rule for UK arrivals as it is classed as “high risk” due to prevalence of the Delta variant.

According to the South China Morning Post, external, the government is also scrapping airport antibody tests for travellers, which previously enabled people from “medium risk” countries to shorten their quarantine to as little as seven days.

Hong Kong Free Press says these moves combined have triggered “travel plan chaos”, external and that many travellers are now “scrambling to secure a room at one of the city’s designated quarantine hotels” amid fresh concerns they may not be able to fly, due to quarantine hotel room shortages.

Meanwhile, in nearby Macau, some local Covid-19 restrictions are set to be relaxed from tomorrow. Entertainment venues closed across the city at the beginning of the month, after four people tested positive with the Delta variant.

As there have been no new cases for the last 13 days, the Macau Daily Times says, external that from tomorrow, venues including cinemas, gyms and bars will be allowed to reopen.

A further nine people have died in Scotland within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus, according to the latest Scottish government figures.

Another 1,815 cases were reported, and 338 people were in hospital yesterday with recently confirmed Covid-19.

The medicines regulator has said the Moderna Covid vaccine is safe and effective to use in 12 to 17-year-olds across the UK.

The vaccine had already been authorised for use in Northern Ireland in July but now has approval in England, Wales in Scotland too.

Three Covid vaccines are being used in the UK after being approved: Moderna, Oxford AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech.

But how can approving a vaccine - a process which usually takes at least ten years - be done in less than one?

BBC health reporter Laura Foster explains.

Image source, Getty Images

The number of people seen within four hours in A&E departments across Scotland has fallen to the lowest level since at least February 2015, new figures show.

NHS statistics for the week ending 8 August showed just 76.5% of people were dealt with within the target time.

The Scottish government's aim is for 95% to be seen and subsequently admitted or discharged in that time.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said reports from hospitals suggested people reporting to emergency departments were "much sicker and require higher levels of care" amid Covid pressures.

Read more here.

Image source, PA Media

We've been talking about vaccinations for 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK but walk-in centres are also being opened on the Isle of Man.

The Manx government says drop-in jabs for eligible teenagers will begin on Saturday.

The first session, offering the Pfizer jab, takes place between 11:00 and 15:00 BST.

A second session will be held the following Wednesday between 14:30 and 16:00.

Those attending will be offered a single jab, in line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Laura Foster
BBC Health correspondent

The medicines regulator has said the Moderna Covid vaccine is safe and effective to use in 12 to 17 year olds across the UK.

The vaccine had already been authorised for use in Northern Ireland in July but now has approval in England, Wales in Scotland too.

But this does not mean it can be offered immediately to all teenagers.

Now we need to hear what the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations will recommend.

Last month, it recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech jab could be offered to 16 and 17 year olds, over 12s with underlying health condition or anyone living with others who are at high risk.

There are no plans currently to offer the Pfizer jab to 12 to 15 year olds.

We have yet to see whether the Moderna vaccine will be offered to the same groups, or whether it’ll be offered to all 12 to 17 year olds.

Boris Johnson has welcomed Tuesday's employment figures - describing the fall in unemployment in the three months to June to 4.7% as "encouraging".

The prime minister wrote on Twitter that the economy was "showing signs of recovery across the country with employment up and unemployment down".

But he cautioned "there is still work to do" as he championed the government's "plan for jobs".

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics showed job vacancies have hit a record high as the UK's labour market continues to "rebound robustly".

Image source, Reuters

Researchers at the University of Birmingham say they have developed a Covid test that is as sensitive as PCR screening but can give results in just a few minutes without the need for a laboratory.

They hope it will be a potential solution for testing at airports - amid concerns about rising prices and poor service by private testing firms.

The test - called RTF-EXPAR - uses the exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) method to detect results in less than 10 minutes, even for low levels of virus, the researchers said.

At low levels of virus, results were detected in around 8.75 minutes, while at high concentrations the detection time was just 3.08 minutes.

An internal government review of the pricing and standards of service from test providers was announced at the weekend, as the cost of NHS tests for travel was reduced.

Image source, Reuters

Japan has extended its state of emergency in Tokyo and other regions and unveiled new measures covering seven more areas to tackle a spike in coronavirus cases, Reuters reports.

The current state of emergency had been due to end on 31 August but will now remain in place until 12 September.

It comes as the capital Tokyo announced 4,377 positive cases on Tuesday, after a record 5,773 on Friday.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the Delta variant first identified in India and now spreading around the world was causing "unprecedented cases" in Japan.

"Serious cases are increasing rapidly and severely burdening the medical system, particularly in the capital region," he added.

The extended state of emergency will cover almost 60% of Japan's population as the prefectures of Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka are included.

Another 10 prefectures will be put under less strict "quasi-emergency" measures.

Under the latest restrictions, restaurants will be asked to close early and stop serving alcohol in exchange for a subsidy.

The government will also request occupancy limits at department stores and ask people to reduce the number of times they go to crowded areas.

It comes as organisers of the Tokyo Paralympic Games banned spectators from attending events there due to coronavirus.

Fans were barred from venues in the capital for the Olympics, with events held in some other regions allowed up to 50% capacity.

Everyone aged 16 and over in the UK can now receive the Covid vaccine - with 16 and 17-year-olds currently being offered a single dose.

There are an estimated 1.4 million people in this age group and NHS England says nearly 16,000 have already received the vaccine.

But around a third of 18-29-year-olds in England are still thought not to have had a single jab.

People aged over 18 do not need parental consent as they are considered capable of making their own medical treatment decisions.

You can't choose which vaccine you receive but if you're under 40 or pregnant you will be offered Pfizer or Moderna, while under-18s will be offered Pfizer, as Moderna has not yet been licensed for this age group in the UK.

If you are worried about vaccine side effects you can watch this video to find out more.

Dolly Parton has said she feels she was given more credit than she deserved for her donation to coronavirus vaccine research.

The country music star gave $1m (£750,000) to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville - one of the trial sites for the Moderna vaccine.

The singer, 75, said she had felt compelled to help because she sensed "something bad" was on its way.

She told Absolute Radio Country: "When the pandemic came out, I just felt led to do something because I knew something bad was on the rise and I just kind of wanted to help with that, so I donated to help with that.

"So, mine was a small part, of course, but I probably get a lot more credit than I deserve, but I was happy to be part of that, and to be able to try stop something in its tracks that's really just become such a monster for all of us."

On receiving a dose of the vaccine that she helped to fund back in March, she reworked the lyrics to one of her hit songs to encourage people to take up the offer of the jab.

To the tune of Jolene, Parton sang: "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I'm begging of you, please don't hesitate. Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, because once you're dead, then that's a bit too late."

Image source, Getty Images

There is an urgent call for action on ventilation in schools - to slow the spread of Covid-19 - when pupils return in September.

Six education unions have written to England's education secretary, warning of a steep rise in Covid and "long Covid" when pupils return to classes.

Rules on keeping pupils in "bubble groups" and face masks were relaxed by Gavin Williamson at the end of last term.

But unions say better airflow measures would limit disruption and sickness, and are demanding funding for carbon-dioxide monitors and micro-filters.

The Department for Education is yet to comment on the demand - but a parliamentary answer revealed no funding had been allocated specifically to school ventilation since January.

Image source, PA Media

The Queen will continue with her Balmoral summer holiday after member of staff at the Scottish estate tested positive for coronavirus.

The monarch, who is 95 and double-jabbed, will remain at her private castle in Aberdeenshire as planned.

The employee was sent home on Saturday following a PCR test, the Sun reported, external.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman says: "We have procedures in place should a member of any team get Covid."

Image source, MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY

School pupils in Scotland are beginning the autumn term this week - while pupils in the rest of the UK will begin the new academic year at the beginning of September.

Let's take a look at what pupils can expect when they return to school.

Scotland

Despite the broader easing of Covid restrictions, some precautionary measures remain in Scottish secondary schools for the first six weeks of term:

• All staff and pupils will be encouraged to take twice-weekly lateral flow tests at home, starting a week before term begins
• Staff and pupils will have to keep wearing face coverings in school, including in classrooms
• Staff will be asked to keep at least 1m (3ft) from each other, and from children, while on school premises
• In a change in the rules, any students aged 5-17 who are identified as close contacts of a positive case will now only have to self-isolate until they can take a PCR test and get a negative result. Children under five will be encouraged but not required to take a test

England

• The system of "bubbles" - where children only mix within a fixed year or class group - has ended
• Staff and pupils no longer have to wear face coverings in school, but it is still advised in crowded spaces such as on school buses
• Any pupil under 18 who tests positive for Covid will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and told to isolate
• Under-18s who are named as close contacts of positive cases will be asked to take a PCR test, but will not have to self-isolate unless they themselves test positive
• Secondary school pupils and staff are being asked to continue self-testing twice a week, beginning a week before the start of term

Wales

• Face coverings will not be routinely advised in classrooms
• Contact groups will be ending for school pupils or full-time learners in colleges
• Anyone under 18 (and any fully vaccinated adult) who is identified as a close contact of a positive case will be encouraged to take a PCR test on day two and day eight after being alerted - and will no longer have to self-isolate

Northern Ireland

• The NI Executive has decided in principle to remove school bubbles and the requirement to wear face coverings in the classroom, but these plans have yet to be ratified
• No decision has yet been made on whether pupils will have to self-isolate if they are a close contact of a positive case

You can read more here.