UK Coronavirus Update Live: Breaking News When Boris Johnson To Announce Curfew At 10pm

Scientists estimated how deadly Covid-19 would be in February

Professor Ferguson, whose model helped shape the UK’s lockdown strategy, said scientists first estimated how deadly Covid-19 could be in the country in February.

The former government adviser said experts used data that China shared online at the start of the pandemic combined with private data from collaborators to determine how deadly the virus could be in the UK.

He told BBC Radio 4: “In a couple of weeks we came to the conclusion that it must be spreading predominantly from person to person and probably most importantly, and this was a little later, in February, we reached the first estimates of how lethal this virus was and that, of course, is of vital importance if you are going to make a judgment about whether you are going to shut down society to stop this virus.

“We estimate that in China itself around 0.6 per cent of infected people were dying, but China has a younger population than the UK and this is a disease that we know predominantly kills the elderly, so if translates those values ​​to the UK population, we estimate around 0.9 per cent, which is much, much more lethal than, say, seasonal flu. ”

The strict UK blockade ‘was necessary’

Professor Neil Ferguson, the epidemiologist whose advice to the prime minister led to the UK shutdown, has said he believes the strict shutdown introduced in March was necessary.

He told BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific: “I think we got very close, particularly in London, but also in other areas of the country, that hospitals were overwhelmed, so I think by the time we react, yes, I think a strict lockdown was necessary. ”

It’s unclear how long the new restrictions will last

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove was unable to say how long the new coronavirus measures are expected to last.

“What we hope is that we can take the appropriate measures now, which means that if we can fight the virus, in the future we can gradually relax them,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“But what I can’t do is predict with absolute certainty.”

Pressed on whether it would be months or weeks, Gove said: “It is the case, as Professor Vallance and Chris Whitty pointed out yesterday, that we are going to have a challenge for the next six months.”

‘Work from home and avoid social mixing’

Michael Gove has said that people should now work from home if they can, in an effort to “restrict” the social mix as much as possible.

“If people can work from home, they should,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“But I emphasize that it is very important that people whose jobs require them to be in a specific workplace do so.”

He added that it was not a question of “reviewing the days of the beginning of our response to this virus,” since “workplaces are safer,” adding: “But one of the risks we have to face is that the social mix generally contributes to the spread of the virus.

“So as much as possible, at this stage, it will be better for all of us and for public health.”

Evidence around 10pm hospitality curfew

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has said Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce new measures when he addresses MPs later today.

When asked about the evidence around the 10pm curfew, Gove told BBC Breakfast: “There is evidence that the longer venues stay open, the more social mixing occurs.

“So putting a restriction like this is something we’ve already done in parts of the country where the virus has spread particularly fast.”

He added: “I think it will make a difference, but I think there are other steps that need to be taken as well, and the prime minister will tell the House of Commons more.”

Plans to allow fans to return to postponed sports arenas

Plans to allow fans to return to the sport from October 1 have been postponed, Michael Gove has confirmed.

That plan will now be “on hold,” the Cabinet Office minister confirmed after a series of test pilot events over the past month, due to an increase in coronavirus cases.

Parliament ‘should vote on the second blockade’

Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin has said that parliament should debate and vote on a possible second national shutdown.

Sir Bernard said of the Covid-19 situation: “What would be the worst case is if we have to have another major lockdown.

“That would be terrible for the economy, and therefore anything that can avoid that risk, or mitigate that risk, seems justified.”

“But I certainly agree that the parliament should debate and vote on this,” added the Conservative MP.

“Now, we have a kind of functioning parliament, which we couldn’t have in the early stages of this crisis. The government shouldn’t fear any additional scrutiny. There should certainly be a vote.”

New measures against coronavirus ‘absolutely necessary’

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said the government was taking “reluctant steps” with the new coronavirus measures, but added that they are “absolutely necessary.”

He told Sky News: “There will be more details that the prime minister will explain, and once again one of the points he will make is that nobody wants to do these things, nobody wants to take these steps.”

“They are reluctant steps we are taking, but they are absolutely necessary.

“Because, as we were reminded yesterday, and as you have been reporting, the infection rate is increasing, the number of people going to hospital is increasing, and therefore we must act.”

Premier Inn owner Whitbread has said it could cut up to 6,000 jobs due to reduced demand resulting from the pandemic.

The group said the proposal would affect 18 percent of its workforce at its hotel and restaurant brands, adding that it expected voluntary layoffs and reduced hired hours would make up a “significant proportion” of the planned cuts.

People with flu and Covid face a ‘serious risk of death’

People who have been infected with both the flu and Covid-19 face a seriously increased risk of death, Public Health England said, as researchers urge the public “not to be complacent” ahead of flu season.

The nation’s flu vaccination program will be expanded to make up to 30 million people in England eligible for the jab amid concerns that flu could circulate alongside Covid-19 across the UK.

Now a study has shown that those infected with both viruses during the first peak of the pandemic had a significantly higher death rate.

Vincent Wood has more details: