Politics

Coronavirus lockdown limbo will last for WEEKS as pressure grows on government to reveal ‘exit strategy’


CORONAVIRUS lockdown limbo could last for weeks as pressure grows on the government to a reveal an exit strategy.

Ministers are reluctant to lift the strict measures despite experts claiming that Brits “cannot hide away forever”.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

 Boris Johnson was taken to ICU on Monday after his Covid-19 symptoms worsened
Boris Johnson was taken to ICU on Monday after his Covid-19 symptoms worsenedCredit: Crown Copyright

Dominic Raab – filling in for Boris Johnson – warned yesterday it was still too early for social distancing to be lifted.

And epidemiologist Professor Neil Ferguson, of Imperial College London, said “definitive” proof of whether the nationwide-lockdown has worked will take “several more weeks”.

He explained: “It is only when we see the case numbers come down and how quickly transmissions have been reduced we can really conclude anything about what happens next, when these measures can be relaxed”.

It is only when we see the case numbers come down and how quickly transmissions have been reduced we can really conclude anything about what happens next.

Prof Neil Ferguson

It is believed that less than 10 per cent of the population has had the virus and Mr Raab said that discussing a route out of lockdown would be a “distraction”.

Scientists are still struggling to identify how restrictions could be eased without causing more harm to the public, the Times reports.

But Rupert Shute, the deputy scientific adviser at the Home Office, warned yesterday that 80 per cent of the population will eventually get Covid-19.

‘CAN’T HIDE AWAY FOREVER’

He added said that while staying at home was important “we also have to keep functioning our lives”.

Mr Shute told the BBC: “You are no more at risk at the workplace than you would be in your home or at the supermarket. It is about minimising it.

“We are working on the assessment that 80 per cent of us, if we haven’t already, will get the virus. We cannot hide away from it for ever.”

He made the comments during a conference call with officials at the Passport Office – but a transcript was then handed to the BBC

TOO EARLY

The government has announced it was launching a publicity drive over the bank holiday weekend to get the public to follow the lockdown guidelines over East weekend.

Concerning figures show the number of hospital patients in the UK who had died after testing positive for Covid-19 had risen to 7,978 as of 5pm on Wednesday – an increase of 881 on the previous day.

At the daily No 10 press conference, Mr Raab acknowledged that it was hard for to stay indoors over Easter, but he urged them to show restraint amid signs the measures were having an impact.

It’s still too early to lift the measures that we put in place. We must stick to the plan and we must continue to be guided by the science.

Dominic Raab

He said: “The deaths are still rising and we haven’t yet reached the peak of the virus. So it’s still too early to lift the measures that we put in place.

“We must stick to the plan and we must continue to be guided by the science.”

Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s chief scientific adviser, said measures were “breaking transmission” of the disease with signs of a “flattening off” in the numbers of new cases and hospital admissions.

However, he warned the numbers of deaths would continue to rise for a “few weeks” and that it was too soon to relax social-distancing.

“It is incredibly important that we continue to do what we are doing,” he said.

The chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said that while the numbers admitted to intensive care had been doubling every three days, that had now slowed.

“This is really now becoming not quite flat, but the doubling time is now six or more days in almost everywhere in the country and extending in time,” he said.

Give now to The Sun’s NHS appeal

BRITAIN’s four million NHS staff are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

But while they are helping save lives, who is there to help them?

The Sun has launched an appeal to raise £1MILLION for NHS workers.

The Who Cares Wins Appeal aims to get vital support to staff in their hour of need.

We have teamed up with NHS Charities Together in their urgent Covid-19 Appeal to ensure the money gets to exactly who needs it.

The Sun is donating £50,000 and we would like YOU to help us raise a million pounds, to help THEM.

No matter how little you can spare, please donate today here

www.thesun.co.uk/whocareswinsappeal

 Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is updating the nation as he continues to stand in for Boris Johnson

1

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is updating the nation as he continues to stand in for Boris Johnson

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.





READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.