Family and friends of people residing in care homes will get access to regular testing, the government announced.

A new pilot, launching on Monday, will trial the testing in 20 care homes across Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall with hopes that it will be rolled out to other regions in the lead up to Christmas.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the tests will be offered to one family member or friend for each resident.

The testing will be combined with the continued use of protective measures such as PPE.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I know how heartbreaking restricting visits to care homes has been, not only for residents – many of whom will feel disoriented and confused by the situation – but also their loved ones who aren’t able to simply hug each other to support them in this difficult time.”

Meanwhile, the Alzheimer’s Society warned that testing may have come “too little too late for desperate families who have been waiting eight months to visit their loved ones.”

Church leaders launch legal action over public worship ban

A group of religious leaders have launched a legal challenge against the decision to ban public worship within new coronavirus restrictions in England, claiming the ban is unlawful. 

More than 100 church leaders are seeking a judicial review of the government’s decision to close places of public worship during the country’s second national lockdown.

They claim that the ban is a breach of Article 9 of the Human Rights Act on freedom to express religious beliefs, while also suggesting that the government failed to correctly assess the risk of collective worship on the transmission of coronavirus.

Pastor Ade Omooba, who is leading the church leaders’ legal challenge, said: “We have been left with no alternative but to pursue a judicial review on this crucial issue and at this significant moment for the freedom to worship in church in this country.”

Trump says coronavirus vaccine will be available ‘within weeks’

Donald Trump announced on Friday that under Operation Warp Speed, a coronavirus vaccine will be delivered to all US states “within weeks.”

However, Mr Trump singled out New York as the only state that will not receive a vaccine, after Governor Anthony Cuomo said that he will enact an independent review panel to analyse vaccine data.

In his first public address since Joe Biden was declared president-elect, Mr Trump accused Governor Cuomo of not accepting the vaccine because of “political reasons,” adding that the federal government would not send the vaccine to the state until Mr Cuomo “authorises” for them to do so.

“He doesn’t trust where the vaccine is coming from,” Mr Trump said.

My Cuomo announced the review panel last month in an attempt to build confidence with the coronavirus vaccine.

Return of tiers over Christmas will see coronavirus infections rise, scientists warn

A return to a tiered system across the UK after lockdown ends on 2 December will see infections rise again, scientists have warned.

In a document dated 4 November, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) outlined that tougher tiers over the Christmas period will cause transmission of covid “to return to the same rate of increase as today.”

Further papers from late October suggested that in a scenario where infections are “low and controlled”, and where NHS test and trace “can play a big role in containing outbreaks”, there is the possibility for a loosening of social distancing rules over Christmas for a “limited time”, the experts said.

However, if transmissions are too high – meaning the “R” right is above one in places across the UK – there would be “little to no scope for loosening of social distancing rules over Christmas.”

Meanwhile, Scottish figures warned of the potential need for “more dramatic action” over Christmas in some areas to curb the spread of infections.

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage of all the latest coronavirus news in the UK.