BRITAIN’ is “not at the stage” where where we can relax the lockdown yet, the Government said today – despite promises for a review by Monday.
Health minister Ed Argar repeated suggestions from Dominic Raab last night that the UK wasn’t ready to look at changing any of the rules until after the peak of the virus was seen to be over.
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That could mean the measures will stay in place past the three weeks Boris Johnson announced on March 23.
He told BBC News this morning: “The evidence is not yet there which will allow is to make a decision.
“We couldn’t want to judge or preempt that evidence. That isn’t a position we are in yet.”
He added: “We will be reviewing it and we will be led by the scientific evidence when its the right time.
“We need to start seeing the numbers coming down and that’s when you’re in the negative.
“That’s when you have a sense when that’s sustained over a period of time, that you can see it coming out of that.”
Both Mr Raab and Professor Whitty stressed that Britain needs to reach the peak first before looking at whether the lockdown measures can be changed or relaxed.
Government sources stressed earlier that a formal review of the lockdown may not happen on Monday but would be around that date.
Professor Whitty said last night: “It’s really important we get to the point we are confident we are beyond the peak.
“There are a large number of different things we need to take into account here.”
However, in the coronavirus law which was rushed through the Commons last month, it says the Health Secretary must review the lockdown measures by the 16 April at the latest – next Thursday.
Meanwhile the London Mayor said today that the peak is not expected to be this weekend as previously thought.
Sadiq Khan told BBC’s Radio 4: “We think the peak is probably still a week and a half away.
“We are still on a daily basis seeing too many people losing their lives.”
He added that the capital was “nowhere near” being able to lift restrictions.
The evidence is not yet there which will allow is to make a decision
Ed Argar, health minister
World Health Organisation Europe director Dr Hans Kluge warned countries not to ease social distancing restrictions.
Speaking at an international press conference, he said: “Now is not the time to relax measures.
“It is, once again, the time to double or triple collective efforts with the support of society.”
Italy has already extended its own lockdown measures until at least the middle of May.
Italians have been told to stay at home for almost five weeks, after the country’s PM Giuseppe Conte issued his stay at home decree on March 9.
Britain has been closely following Italy in terms of deaths and infection rates with officials here consistently saying we are ”two weeks behind” them, suggesting our lockdown could possibly last until the end of May.
The Italian lockdown was due to end initially on March 23 but has already been extended twice.
Even in China, areas of Wuhan are still only just coming out of lockdown after being kept inside for two months.
Last week Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed that the crucial anti-body test that will identify whether an individual has had the virus will not be included in the new target to reach 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month.
This is despite the test being central to the Government’s exit strategy for ending the lockdown measures.
It all-but confirms the Government will be forced to extend the current lockdown rules when they are up for their three-week review on April 13.
Yesterday a record 786 deaths were recorded – taking the total dead above 6,000.
But yesterday experts said the data showed there was some cautious optimism of the figures, and the rate of new cases may be slowing.
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Government departments have started to work on plans to end the lockdown in the coming weeks, but no decisions have been made.
Today one minister suggested that schools could be the first thing to re-open – possibly as soon as after the Easter break.
One told the Financial Times: “We need to be led by the science, of course. But if we can reopen schools after the Easter holidays things could begin to get back to normal.
“It could kick-start the economy,” a senior minister said.
No10 would only say it would be “guided by the science”.
Several ministers are said to believe schools should reopen two weeks after the Easter holidays.
Yesterday a study by University College London found that school closures had a relatively small impact on the spread of coronavirus.
Experts said weeks ago that they were unlikely to shut schools until they needed to as it was not expected to have a major impact.
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It has also been suggested that the lockdown could have a staggered end – such as allowing different sectors of workers or areas in the country out first.
But key to ending the shutdown will be mass testing for everyone, Matt Hancock said last week.
However, efforts have been severely restricted by the fact that no home kit test to show if someone’s had the virus has yet been deemed to be accurate enough.
Ministers are calling on the industry to step up and see if they can develop a finger-prick test which can be done at home.
None of the tests so far have been shown to work.
When one does, ministers want to ship millions of them out so that those who have had the disease can be given immunity certificates or a wristband to show they have had it and are likely to be immune.
Last night the PM spent his second night in intensive care after he started to struggle to breathe.
The Times reported that his persistent fever – which had not gone away since he fell ill – has finally started to ease.
This morning Dominic Raab – who is standing in for him – said he was “doing fine”.
He is said to be still stable and has not yet required a ventilator to help him breathe.
The PM has had oxygen, but it’s not known what other treatment he’s had.
And he is said to still be in “good spirits”.
An update on his condition is expected at lunchtime.
Medical experts have predicted that Mr Johnson may need several weeks off work to recuperate from his ordeal once he is able to leave intensive care.
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