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The prime minister is reportedly considering a short-circuit lockdown if his three-tier system fails, as it increases pressure on him to take drastic measures during the midterm hiatus.
Sir Keir Starmer and experts urge Boris Johnson to go beyond his latest measures by introducing two weeks of nationwide restrictions, and scientists estimate that the measure could save around 7,800 lives by the end of the year.
The temporary closure would cause most businesses, including pubs and restaurants, to close, if the three-tiered restrictions that take effect today fail to reduce the infection rate, a government source told The Telegraph.
If Downing Street decides to go ahead with the plan, it will likely be unveiled late next week before the midterm school holidays. One source stated that the probability of the lockdown being implemented is approximately ‘80% or more ‘.
Last night, the Labor Party leader warned the nation in a televised briefing that the prime minister “no longer follows scientific advice” by proposing “far less strict restrictions” than Sage experts have suggested.
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Sir Keir said the government did not have a credible plan and that a two to three week national shutdown was now necessary during the midterm recess to avoid ‘sleepwalking in a long and bleak winter’.
A senior source told the Telegraph: ‘Circuit breakers remain on table.
“You don’t have to do it across the country, you can do it regionally.”
Another added: ‘If the numbers keep increasing, there will have to be a circuit breaker. For the moment, I’d say the chances are 80 percent or more. “
The ‘precautionary breaks’ would see a blockade across the country, before being lifted and potentially reinstated if transmission rates rise again. The idea has been endorsed by Sage’s Graham Medley and Matt Keeling of the Pandemic Influenza Scientific Group on Modeling in an article to be published today.
It is reportedly estimated that more than 7,000 lives could be saved if schools closed and the public stayed home from October 24 for two weeks, and scientists say now “there are no good epidemiological reasons to delay the break. “.
Their model suggested that deaths from Covid-19 could drop from 19,900 to 12,100 for the rest of the year, The Times reported, with hospital admissions reduced from 132,400 to 66,500.
If schools and stores remain open, the death toll could drop to 15,600, it reported.
The authors said the temporary measures can “limit” the impact on society and the economy, while allowing the government to curb infection rates and “potentially allow other measures (such as contact tracing) to regain control.”
They add: “This reduction in infection can be interpreted as a temporary restart, bringing the level of infection (over time) to a lower value, allowing greater opportunity for additional health measures to be enacted or take effect. public “.
It comes as the UK recorded more than 100 Covid-19-related deaths for the first time in four months on Tuesday.
Another 17,234 positive cases were reported and 143 lost their lives due to the virus.
The latest restrictions went into effect today, with the Liverpool city region mired in a Level 3 lockdown with pubs and bars closed for at least a month.
Talks will take place today to discuss whether Greater Manchester and Lancashire should also enter Level 3.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said it is inevitable that the capital will pass a “trigger point” to enter the highest level 2 coronavirus restrictions in the “coming days.”
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