Longstanding issues in health service could undermine UK's coronavirus recovery, report finds

The study, from the Nuffield Trust think-tank, found the NHS was in a poor starting position going into the pandemic compared with other countries such as Germany, which had far more beds and nurses.

Stark socio-economic differences and racial inequality may have also made the virus deadlier, experts suggested.

It came as Ministers prepared for a possible surge in winter cases of coronavirus, with face masks made compulsory in a variety of settings today, and the ambition to ensure people living in a city or large town will be within a 30-minute walk of a Covid-19 testing site by the end of October. The Government is also aiming to double its winter flu vaccination programme in England to 30m people.

Figures have shown NHS Test and Trace is failing to reach adequate numbers of people who may be ill in places with the highest infection rates.

Bradford Council said its data-sharing agreement with the Government means its figures on how many people have been traced cannot be shared.

A spokeswoman said: “There is a high number of contacts which are not able to be traced through the national tracing system in Bradford district. We understand this is not unusual and other places are seeing the same kind of statistics.

“With this in mind, we are asking Government to allow us to set up a local extension to the national Test and Trace system which would enable us to follow-up uncontacted data with door-to-door visits, something which no national system can really do.”

Kirklees Council confirmed 77 per cent of close contacts in its area had been traced. This is below the 80 per cent experts say need to be contacted within 48 hours if the system is to work.

National figures on deaths from coronavirus are paused while their reliability is investigated. But four further deaths were recorded in Yorkshire yesterday of people who had tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the region’s total to at least 2,883.

Members of the public will need to wear a face covering in shopping centres, banks, takeaways, sandwich shops and supermarkets from today as the Government ramps up efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus.

The new regulations, which also cover railway stations and airports, make it compulsory to wear a face covering when buying food and drink to take away from cafes and shops.

And face coverings must be worn in banks, building societies and post offices under the rules, which are enforceable by the police.

Venues such as restaurants, pubs and gyms will be exempt.

But the move came as Ministers were warned that historic issues in the NHS, such as a lack of beds and nurses, could make recovery from the pandemic in the UK difficult and put the health service at risk in any potential winter spike.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Everyone must play their part in fighting this virus by following this new guidance.”

Children under 11 and people with breathing problems are not required to wear a covering and anyone who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment or disability is also exempt.

The public are advised to wash their hands before putting a covering or mask on or taking it off and to avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth while wearing one.

Face coverings should be stored in a plastic bag until they can be washed or disposed of, the Department of Health said.