Helen Catt
Political correspondent

After the prime minister got to announce the good news of a medical breakthrough, the health secretary had the job of fronting up some, well, pretty awkward news.

When the app was first announced, the implication was that it would be a big part of the promised "world-beating" test-and-trace programme.

Over recent weeks the government has progressively stepped back from it, now suggesting it will only "complement" the wider system.

Human contact tracing is tried and tested, and it's true that a well-functioning system can be run without an app.

It's also true that the government is trying to develop a lot of new things in new areas at great speed or, as Hancock put it, "throwing everything at it as fast as we can".

But the failure of this one to work so far will be embarrassing, particularly for a health secretary known for his love of tech-savvy solutions.

Questions are also likely to be asked around the wisdom of the government pushing on with doing its own thing for so long when concerns were already being raised.

Reality Check

Image source, Getty Images

The NHS test-and-trace system was officially launched on 28 May.

In the first two weeks, 14,045 people who tested positive for coronavirus were referred to the contact-tracing system, according to official government figures.

Tracers only managed to make contact with less than three quarters - or 10,192 - of the people referred to the service in the two weeks to 10 June.

People with a confirmed case are contacted via text, email or phone call, and are then asked to share the details of their close contacts.

A close contact is someone who has been within 2m of an infected individual for more than 15 minutes.

Of the 96,746 people identified as having had close contact with those testing positive, 90% - or 87,639 - were reached and asked to self-isolate.

And 86% of the recent contacts advised to self-isolate by the NHS service were reached within the first 24 hours.

The test-and-trace service does not handle contact tracing for all confirmed cases. Where a significant outbreak has occurred, it is followed up by local public health teams instead.

Read more: How contact tracing works.

Philippa Roxby
Health reporter, BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

It could still be some time before there is a vaccine against coronavirus but the UK's health secretary is already thinking about which groups of people might get the jab first.

Targeting older people and those with particular underlying health conditions makes sense – they are most at risk of becoming ill with Covid-19.

Should people from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) backgrounds also be in line to be vaccinated first? That’s something the government is clearly considering.

(Read more: Why are more people from BAME backgrounds dying from coronavirus?)

Meanwhile, a vaccine developed by Oxford researchers is already being tested in humans and many more are in the pipeline around the world.

What’s certain is that more than one will be needed to try to protect everyone from this new virus.

The daily press conference was held by Matt Hancock, the health secretary, and Dido Harding, chair of the UK's test and trace systems.

Here's what they told us:

• Last week, for the first week since mid-March, the number of people who died was no higher than is normal at this time of year
• AstraZeneca has agreed to produce a vaccine being developed by Oxford University, so stocks will be ready as soon as the vaccine is approved
• People should ensure they get their children vaccinated for other diseases

• Mr Hancock acknowledged the government has had challenges developing its contract tracing app, including an issue with using the app on Apple systems
• The government is now pooling resources with the Apple-Google model, but he declined to put a date on when the app could be ready
• Everyone who is shielding will receive a personal letter from the NHS outlining next steps before the scheme finishes at the end of the month

The panel is asked whether regional politicians are ready to enact local lockdowns if required to contain the virus.

Matt Hancock says there is a committee already up and running to allow ministers to co-ordinate with council figures.

He says the local council is "heavily involved" in the deployment of the testing unit to Kirklees in West Yorkshire he mentioned earlier.

Asked whether local mayors properly understand the system, Hancock says engagement is "getting better and better".

He adds there are "relatively few" local outbreaks currently.

Matt Dathan of the Sun asks what measures the government can take to ensure children with disabilities are not forgotten.

He also asks when we will be able to stay overnight at other places.

"We kept 80% of schools open for those with special needs," replies Hancock and points to the £10m family fund trust.

He adds that he wants all children back to school by September.

On the second question, he says the government is looking at ways to let people stay away from home - "I want people to be able to have a holiday this summer," he says.

Asked whether it has taken too long to identify flaws in the app, Matt Hancock replies: "no, quite the contrary".

He says the government "backed both horses" in developing its own software, as well as the Google/Apple model, for the app.

He says there are issues with both, but "parts of each" combined together can build a "stronger" system.

Dido Harding says developing both systems alongside each other will allow them to "enhance" the overall performance of the app.

Andy Bell from Channel 5 suggests that the app is vital in order for people to properly know if they have been in contact with those who have the virus.

Hancock says the app is "an important addition" but the core is the "human contact tracing" element.

"We've backed both horses," he says.

Harding says "this is a global challenge", adding that none of the apps tested around the world is "working sufficiently well enough to be reliable".

Dido Harding is asked about whether the test and trace system is missing symptomatic people.

She admits some people who are not getting tested are being missed.

She adds they will need to get "better at hunting out the virus" using "targeted testing" in jobs with high contact with the public.

Asked about outbreaks in certain settings, Matt Hancock says the government is doing "much more" to stop these flaring up.

He says mobile testing units are currently being deployed to stop outbreaks in Leicester as well as Kirklees in West Yorkshire.

The BBC's Hugh Pym asks when the app will be ready.

"We are working on it," Hancock says, but declines to give a date.

"I am confident we will get there - we will put that cherry on Dido's cake," he adds.

Replying to a question about the situation for those who are shielding, the health secretary says the government will be bringing forward the next steps very soon.

He says those in the shielding group - the two million people with medical conditions who've been told to stay at home since March - can expect a letter from the NHS before the end of the month.

The panel is asked whether the government will make it easier for people to work from home after the lockdown is eased.

Matt Hancock says people have learned about the "opportunity" provided by being able to work from home using technology.

He says this practice is likely to "stay with us a long time".

He says employers should make this available where possible, and he will talk to the Business department about it.

Luke from Cardiff has the first question. He asks how the government will prevent a second spike caused by students going back to university in the autumn.

"Work is going on now to make sure we can do as much as we can to ensure a safe restart of universities," replies Hancock.

"It is a really important point and something the Department for Education is working hard on," he adds.

Image source, Downing Street

Dido Harding, who runs NHS Test and Trace in England, runs through data about the system’s second week in operation published earlier.

Unveiling the slide above, she says there has been a "small increase" in the number of people handing over contacts once testing positive versus the first week.

Data from the first two weeks overall show more than one in four people who test positive could not be reached.

She says the system is still "improving" and being refined, with labs conducting tests overnight and at weekends.

We now come to the test and trace app.

Hancock says that while the UK's app worked well on Android devices, Apple software "prevents iphones from effectively using contact tracing".

He says he is "interested in what works" and so will be joining forces with Apple and Google "to bring the best bits of both systems together".

He adds that the NHS test and trace system is "working well".

Hancock begins to talk about vaccines.

First he urges parents to make sure their children are getting their regular vaccinations including the MMR jab.

He then says AstraZeneca has struck a deal to produce the Oxford vaccine, so it can be manufactured and will be ready should "the science come off".

He says adults over 50 and those with heart and kidney disease will be prioritised if and when a vaccine is ready.

He adds that the government will continue to take into account those who are most vulnerable including those from BAME backgrounds.

Image source, Cobr

Hancock now turns to today’s coronavirus statistics.

In the UK, a further 135 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of virus deaths to 42,288.

In the 24-hour period up to 09:00 on Thursday, 136,516 tests were carried out or dispatched, with 1,218 positive results.

A total of 7,259,555 tests have been carried out and 300,469 cases have been confirmed positive.

The number of people in hospital with the virus in the UK has fallen from 5,863 to 5,193.

Hancock also points to a report by Public Health England which shows that last week, for the first week since mid-March, the number of people who died was no higher than is normal at this time of year.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock begins by recognising the "sad loss" of Dame Vera Lynn.

He says the singer "inspired us with the words 'we will meet again'".

"We will all remember her warmly," he says.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock now opens today's press conference.

He is accompanied by the head of the test and trace systems Dido Harding.

Image source, Reuters

We knew the daily briefing would be delayed by a few minutes to avoid a clash with a Red Arrows fly past.

It's part of commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the founding in London of the French Resistance by Charles de Gaulle.

But it seems the delay is going to be a bit longer than we anticipated. As soon as it gets started, we'll be bringing you all the updates here.

Image source, Getty Images

Before we go to the Downing Street briefing, there's some good news for film fans.

Coronavirus has badly damaged the entertainment industry - with bosses of major new films pausing production or delaying their release.

The release of films such as Mulan, Fast & Furious 9, A Quiet Place 2 and the latest James Bond instalment No Time To Die were delayed - while filming on the latest Mission: Impossible movie in Italy was paused in February.

But now, some of the big-hitters are resuming production in a variety of socially-distanced ways.

Read on to find out the four films to keep a look out for when cinemas reopen in the future.

Image source, Reuters