[ad_1]
Matt Hancock is scheduled to hold a press conference in Downing Street this afternoon.
The Health Secretary is expected to update the country on efforts to contain Covid as a new strain sweeps the country, and scientists are demanding urgent drastic measures to contain it.
Mr. Hancock is expected to speak at 3 pm.
A health official said: “The ministers have met today to assess what additional actions may be necessary to address the increase in cases driven by the new variant.
“The Secretary of Health will provide an update at a Downing Street press conference at 3pm.”
He will be joined by Dr Susan Hopkins from Public Health England and Deputy Medical Director Dr Jenny Harries.
It comes when plans were rumored to be in the works to submerge large parts of England into Level 4 from Boxing Day.
The government’s Covid operations committee will meet this morning to consider whether to submerge more areas in the lockdown.
Today around 17 million people in London and the South East are at a new ‘Level 4’.
(Image: Zoe)
That tier instructs residents to stay home, aside from a limited number of exemptions, such as school, work, essential shopping, and exercise.
Yesterday, officials discussed moving more areas like Birmingham to Level 4 before Christmas.
Other areas, even all of England, could join Level 4 on Boxing Day, effectively returning the nation to lockdown.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick even told Sky News that Christmas could be under threat, saying he “won’t hesitate” to change the rules again.
He warned shortly after 7 am: “We are asking people outside of Level 4 areas to be very careful, just to meet a small number of people and just for Christmas day.
“If we need to change that in light of the new variant, we will not hesitate to do so.”
But shortly after 8am, he appeared to contradict himself, telling the BBC: “We are not going to change people’s plans 24, 48 hours before Christmas.”
Boris Johnson said Saturday that there was evidence that the new variant of the coronavirus is 70% more transmittable.
Elsewhere, a scientist has called for a total lockdown across England to begin today to prevent “the whole country” from being “on fire.”
Christina Pagel, a professor of operations research at University College London, said the situation is “incredibly dangerous.”
As a new variant of the coronavirus spreads beyond London and the South East, he said: “We cannot afford to wait for confirmation, because it is increasing very, very rapidly.”
Professor Pagel is not a member of the SAGE government advisory committee.
He said that even acting this Saturday would be too late and that current restrictions “obviously not” are sufficient.
[ad_2]
