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PUbs in England are feared to be closed over the weekend, after Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to rule out new lockdown restrictions.
Speaking on ITV’s This Morning, the Secretary of Health was asked if homeowners would be told to close.
“We will be absolutely clear on the changes we need to make in the very, very near future,” Hancock said.
“It is not a no and it is not a yes,” he said.
He also said that we must act now to save Christmas. “The more we can control the virus now and stop the spread now, the easier it will be to have as normal a Christmas as possible,” he said.
This morning, Professor Chris Whitty will warn that Britain is at a “tipping point” in the coronavirus pandemic, which could set the stage for new tough controls in an urgent attempt to stem the rise in infections.
In a televised briefing expected around 11am, England’s chief medical officer will say that the country is facing a “very challenging winter”, with the current trend in “the wrong direction.”
Boris Johnson spent the weekend with ministers and senior advisers discussing what actions to take, as the increase in the number of new cases showed no signs of slowing down.
The prime minister is believed to be able to lay down new measures at a press conference on Tuesday.
This morning, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps delivered a similar message, saying: “It is clear that we are a few weeks behind what we are seeing in other parts of Europe.
“You just have to look at what is happening in France, particularly in Spain, and you can see that things have taken off there, including, I’m afraid, deaths. That is why it is very important that we do everything we can to press this.”
Follow the latest updates below.
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