There was promising news in the search for an effective vaccine against coronavirus this week when a team at Oxford University announced its first results. It is one of around two dozen vaccines being tested on people in clinical trials – and there are around 140 others in development around the world.
The BBC’s online health editor Michelle Roberts answers some of your questions about coronavirus vaccines.
Would a vaccine be 100% safe – I am worried that a vaccine may be rushed out and there may be unwanted side-effects?
From Tim Pryke, Woodlesford, Leeds
New vaccines undergo rigorous safety checks before they can be recommended for widespread use. Although research into a coronavirus vaccine is happening at a very rapid pace, these checks are still happening in clinical trials.
Any treatment can have some side-effects and vaccines are no different. The most common side-effects of vaccines are typically mild and can include swelling or redness to the skin where the jab was given.
Is there any proof that the flu vaccine in 2019 and 2020 have been checked for Covid-19?
From Antonia Saluto, Bedford, England
The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against coronavirus. Flu (influenza) and coronavirus are completely different diseases caused by different viruses.
Having a flu jab is a good idea, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic, to help protect your health.
Flu can cause severe illness in some people, and those at high risk – which includes the over-65s and people with long-term health conditions – can get a free flu jab on the NHS.
From Anne Lindo, Reading, England
Scientists are testing lots of different potential coronavirus vaccines. It is not yet clear which ones may be most effective, if any. Different versions may be more suitable for some people than others.
Tests are happening in volunteers but it will take time to get results and to know who might benefit from vaccination.
If you have received a transplant and are taking immunosuppressant drugs to prevent rejection, some vaccines, such as “live” vaccines containing weakened bacteria or viruses, may not be appropriate for you.
Would this vaccine still be effective if the virus mutates?
From Alan Ng, Dingley, Canada
The coronavirus vaccines being developed at the moment are based on the viral strain currently circulating.
Viruses can mutate, but this will not necessarily make the corresponding vaccine less effective. It depends how significant the mutations are and whether they affect the part of the virus the vaccines are designed to safely mimic.
Many of the experimental coronavirus jabs currently being tested contain the genetic instructions for the surface spike protein that coronavirus uses to attach to and infect human cells. Reassuringly, scientists have not seen any substantial mutations to this part of the virus yet that would render these vaccines useless.
Face covering questions
From 24 July, face coverings in shops in England will be compulsory.
Here are some of your questions on the subject.
Questions and answers
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Does this include people with hidden disabilities? I have asthma and cannot wear a mask.from Gail Denney
The government says people with medical conditions or disabilities that mean they cannot wear a covering will not have to do so.
We do not yet have the precise wording of the rules for shops. However, face coverings have been compulsory on public transport in England since 15 June and the rules for that are pretty broad.
Anyone who cannot wear a covering “because of any physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability”, or who would experience “severe distress” from doing so, is exempt.
How will stores know about people who are exempt from wearing face masks? Will there be a card?from Ann Muff in Plymouth
We don’t know for sure whether there will be cards sent out by the government saying that people do not have to wear face coverings.
That has not happened for public transport, so it seems very unlikely to happen when the rules are extended to shops.
On public transport, if a police officer sees a passenger not wearing a face covering they have been told to ask whether they have an exemption before pursuing any further action.
Some disability charities are producing badges or cards for people to carry with them signalling they are exempt from wearing a face covering.
As a customer I am expected to wear a face covering, why aren’t those who work in a shop expected to do the same?from Christine
It won’t be compulsory for shop workers in England to wear a face covering because “it won’t always be right for every setting in a retail environment”, according to Environment Secretary George Eustice.
However, Mr Eustice says that many workers already wear coverings or are protected by a screen.
The face covering requirement for customers will help to protect shop workers, according to Heath Secretary Matt Hancock, who told Parliament that shop workers have suffered disproportionately from coronavirus.
In Scotland, where face coverings for customers have been compulsory since 10 July, shop staff also do not have to wear them, but it is “strongly recommended” in the guidance that they do.
With face covering becoming mandatory for shops and supermarkets, what about restaurants and cafes?from Scott Rollo in Falmouth
People in England will not be required to wear a covering in places where it’s not practical.
Environment Secretary George Eustice gave the example of pubs, cafes or restaurants.
On public transport in England, people are allowed to remove their face coverings if it is “reasonably necessary” for them to eat or drink. Clearly that would apply to everybody in a pub, cafe or restaurant.
Can shop workers wear a mask for eight-hour shifts?from Sam in Milton Keynes
Face coverings are not compulsory for shop workers, but there is no limit on how long a covering can be worn.
If you are wearing one for a long time, there are some things you might need to consider.
It is likely that over the course of an eight-hour shift you would need to remove the covering sometimes – to eat or drink, for example.
The government advises that you should wash, or sanitise, your hands thoroughly before and after touching a face covering.
On public transport, the government has said that passengers going on long journeys should take more than one face covering with them and a plastic bag for storing them after being used.
Can you wear a clear face visor in shops, or does it have to be a mask?from Lynne Merry-West in Christchurch
The government defines a face covering as “something which safely covers the nose and mouth” which “must securely fit round the side of the face”.
A face visor would therefore not meet this definition.
Transport for London says any passenger wearing a visor must have a separate covering over their mouth and nose as well.
The initial advice was masks are not useful. Has the virus, or the mask theory changed?from Hilal Misgar in County Durham
The government says it is introducing these rules now to minimise risk and increase confidence as the country returns more to normality.
On the timing, ministers say they have been following the scientific advice about face coverings as it has evolved – as issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO initially said that masks were not effective in preventing the spread of the virus, but that advice has now changed as it has learnt more about how the disease spreads.
However, Labour has accused the government of being “slow and muddled” on face-covering policy and has questioned why the new rules are not coming into force sooner.
End of Latest questions
All about coronavirus
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What is the coronavirus?Most asked
Once you’ve had coronavirus will you then be immune?Most asked
What is the incubation period for the coronavirus?
Is coronavirus more infectious than flu?
How long are you ill for?
Asymptomatic people are regarded as “silent spreaders” – what proportion of the population are they estimated to be and how do you find them?
Why are diabetics not included in the clinically extremely vulnerable patients, and will the list be refreshed?
How dangerous is coronavirus for people with asthma?
Are otherwise healthy disabled people more at risk from coronavirus?
Will people who’ve have had pneumonia experience milder coronavirus symptoms?
With key workers wearing some sort of mask, how are deaf people who lip-read supposed to understand what is being said?
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Protecting myself and others
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Is a scarf as a mouth covering enough for public transport?
Why are governments going to such extreme measures to combat coronavirus when flu appears to be more deadly?
What should I do if someone I live with is self-isolating?
Should people stop having sex?
How are there still so many new cases of coronavirus occurring during the lockdown? Is it known if it is from people not observing the rules?
How will we know the difference between a genuine contact tracer and a potential scammer?
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Me and my family
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I am five months pregnant and want to understand the risk to the baby if I get infected?
I am breastfeeding my five-month-old baby – what should I do if I get coronavirus?
Is it possible to catch coronavirus from a pet dog or cat?
What is the risk to children?
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Leaving the house
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My children live with their mother, but visit me. I live about 190 miles from them. Is it legitimate travel for me to drive to collect them?
Can I visit Germany for a three-day business trip?
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My finances
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My daughter bought a home last week and completes/moves on Thursday. Does the stamp duty change apply to her?
We are due to buy a £585,000 house. Will we save any money on stamp duty?
How will the stamp duty changes affect people who are buying property through shared ownership?
How can we tell which restaurants will take part in the “50% off” scheme?
I have already paid for my holiday in a hotel. Can I expect money back as VAT has been reduced?
Will my business – furnished self-catering holiday homes – benefit from the temporary VAT reduction?
Will lenders allow people with mortgages to delay payments during the outbreak?
How do you get gas and electricity if you are on a pre-payment meter and can’t get to a post office to top it up?
What should I do as I have not received a refund for a cancelled flight?
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Work issues
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My husband’s company would get £1,000 for keeping him on until the end of January. What happens after that?
I am a self-employed music teacher. If I cannot work, will the government still help the self-employed financially until October?
My company wants me to return to work within the lockdown period. Is this legal?
I’m self-employed. Can I claim benefits if I can’t work due to the virus?
Who is eligible for universal credit?
If you have to self-isolate will you only get statutory sick pay, or will your employer pay your salary?
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Back to school
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What happened to the plan to provide all vulnerable school students with a laptop?
Social distancing is very difficult in schools. I’m a primary school teacher – shouldn’t I be wearing a mask?
Will schools stay open during the school summer holidays?
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Student issues
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I am supposed to be starting university in September. Is there any point in me going this year or shall I defer until next year?
Can university students get their tuition fee refunded for disruptions to teaching because of Covid-19?
Can you cancel your student property lease early – and if so, how?
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Life after lockdown
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Why are gyms, leisure centres and other fitness facilities being excluded from this round of restrictions when their links to improved physical and mental health are so obvious?
How many households can share a self-catered house? And are they allowed to use a shared swimming pool and hot tub?
Can I travel to and stay in my second home? It’s not a holiday home, I live in the Midlands, but work in the North East during the week. Travelling is not an option as it would mean an eight or nine-hour round trip every day.
My daughter is a driving instructor. When will she be able to start teaching her students again?
The number of new cases may have fallen to pre-lockdown levels. But the virus is still equally contagious and has the potential to spread exponentially – just as it did before lockdown. So what’s changed?
Will churches be able to reopen for services from 4 July?
If it is safe enough to go to the cinema why are schools still not allowed to take more than 25% of any year group in?
When will UK prisons be open again for social visits?
What are my chances of getting a job in lockdown/when lockdown is over?
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Testing, tracking and tracing
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How will people who don’t have a mobile phone be able to submit that they have symptoms?
If an online grocery delivery driver tests positive for Covid-19, would they need to let the Test and Trace service know every customer they’ve delivered to because they will have handled the food or bags?
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Quarantine
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Can I travel to Ireland and then onto another country, then back to the UK via Ireland to avoid the quarantine?
Do key workers have to quarantine?
I will be back in the UK after 8 June, therefore I will have to quarantine. Will my flatmates have to quarantine as well because of me?
If I have to quarantine after a holiday and can’t work from home will I get paid?
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Support bubbles
Your questions
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When will people be allowed to resume physical contact with a loved one in a bubble scenario? I miss my boyfriend of 18 months as we live apart.
Can I have my grandson overnight? I am a single grandparent living on the ground floor in my own house, however I have a lodger who lives on the second floor.
If I have been on the vulnerable list, when can I have people in my house to sleep over and can I go to family to sleep over at their house?
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Correction 22 July: This piece has been amended to accurately reflect that face visors are not a substitute for a face covering.