Coronavirus news – live: UK announces 'traffic light' holiday plan, and Mike Pence insists US making 'remarkable progress' despite surge in cases

The government has quietly dropped its “air bridges” travel quarantine plan in favour of a traffic light system which could allow holidays to popular tourist destinations.

Rather than negotiate separate agreements with different nations, each country will be rated green, amber or red, depending on the prevalence of coronavirus. Quarantine will apply only to nations rated red.

It came after Boris Johnson warned of a potentially “serious spike” in coronavirus cases if people continue to “take liberties” with social-distancing rules. Health secretary Matt Hancock vowed to close beaches if people flout rules, but No 10 said they would stay open for now.

Meanwhile Mike Pence, the US vice president, claimed the Trump administration has made “remarkable progress” in tackling Covid-19 in his first coronavirus task force briefing in two months. His comments came after the country set a new daily record for infections and several US states reintroduced restrictions, with Texas and Florida clamping down on bars and restaurants.