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The UK could head to a nationwide “circuit breaker” lockdown next week after coronavirus cases in hospitals doubled in eight days, Matt Hancock said today.
The Health Secretary declined to rule out a second national shutdown this morning amid fears that Covid cases are increasing to 38,000 a day, saying the country faces a “great time.”
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It came after reports that the government is considering a two-week shutdown, possibly during the October semester, to slow the spread of the disease.
Experts from the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) and the Scientific Group for Pandemic Influenza Modeling (Spi-m) have suggested a temporary measure, the Financial Times reported last night.
A separate BBC report claims that “circuit break of a few weeks” could be on the cards – this would keep schools and most workplaces open, but hospitality businesses may be forced to close .
Boris Johnson is said to be considering new national restrictions, possible as early as next week, to try to control the growing crisis as cases double each week.
And speaking with Sky’s Kay Burley this morning, Hancock said: “The last line of defense is a complete national action and I don’t want to see that, but we will do whatever it takes to keep people safe in a very difficult pandemic.”
He told Times Radio: “The last line of defense is national action.
“I want to avoid that, but we can only do it if everyone follows the rules.
“We know that a national shutdown works because it did it last time, and we can see from the numbers that this is a serious moment.”
He added: “This is a great moment for the country …
“It’s what we can do to keep people safe if that’s what it takes.”
They are the strongest words so far on the possibility of another national shutdown, despite the prime minister insisting he doesn’t want one.
The prime minister has emphasized that he never wants to close the nation’s schools again.
A Sage member told the FT: “As schools will be closed for a week mid-term, adding one more week will have limited impact on education.”
It comes as …
ANOTHER LOCK
The prime minister has not ruled out another national shutdown, although with the growing number of zip closures in many regions, much of the country is already living with forced changes.
Warning that a second national blockade would be “disastrous,” the prime minister said on Wednesday: “I don’t want a second national blockade.
“I think it would be completely wrong for this country and we are going to do everything in our power to prevent it.”
But he is believed to be waiting to see the impact of the rule of six, which was introduced Monday, and if it has any impact on the cases.
Yesterday No10 and ministers played down reports that Professor Chris Whitty had proposed a two-week lockdown.
What national blocking measures could be in the next letters?
PUBS CLOSING EARLY: The early closure of hospitality venues has already been ordered in parts of Bolton, Wales and north-east England. They will have to close the business at 10 or 11 pm.
Boris told The Sun yesterday that the government was “analyzing” these measures at the national level.
ONLY TO WEAR: Also in Bolton, restaurants only have to do take out, closing for customers who want to sit down.
DO NOT TRIP: In some parts of the country, people are told to use public transportation only if it is essential, for work and school.
That means a trip to the pub or seeing friends may be out of the question, as the government tries to stop people from spreading the virus.
STOP WATCHING FRIENDS: In many areas of the UK, people are prohibited from seeing people outside their home to stop the spread.
That could also come at the national level.
NO LIVE SPORTS: Some people have also been banned from visiting live sporting events, to prevent them from becoming wide-spread events.
THOUSANDS OF INFECTIONS
Anthony Costello, who is on SAGE’s independent panel, said England’s chief medical officer had suggested the new shutdown to curb the spread, and that cases could reach 38,000 a day.
However, hours later, he appeared to back down on his claims, tweeting, “Another insider I respect has told me that Chris Whitty does not support a 2-week lockdown so I’m happy to correct the record.”
A spokesperson for No10 said of reports of a two-week shutdown: “We don’t acknowledge that at all.”
They did not comment on the possible number of infections.
Today, Mr. Hancock told the nation that most people don’t get it from strangers, “but in reality, most people get it from someone they know and know well.”
The government’s strategy is “to keep the virus down as much as possible while protecting education and the economy,” he added.
“And doing everything possible for the cavalry that is on the horizon of the vaccine and the massive tests, and the treatments that, frankly, this country has done more than any other in the world to develop.”
At least 10 million Britons are already in local custody with tough new restrictions in place to address a surge in cases.
Hundreds of drinkers came to town for one last drunken night before the Northeast was blockaded.
Greater Manchester, Birmingham and Leicester have also been immersed in lockdown or restrictions that limit household mixing and curfews.
Merseyside and Lancashire, other than Blackpool, also expected to be hit by a Northeast-style lockdown, has emerged.
VIRUS SPREAD
Hancock said today that the number of “hospitalized people is doubling every 8 days” in a sign that the virus is spreading again exponentially.
He warned: “The country once again needs to unite and recognize that there is a serious challenge. That the virus is accelerating.”
Coronavirus cases in the UK rose yesterday by 3,395 with 21 more deaths as a shortage of tests hits the entire country, meaning the true figure is much higher.
Hancock admitted today that the demand for tests had skyrocketed “through the roof,” but blamed the people who came to the tests and had no symptoms.
Yesterday, the head of NHS Test & Trace admitted that calls about coronavirus testing were up to FOUR times higher than current testing capacity.
She said scientists had not predicted such a large increase in cases, despite schools returning and people returning to work.
London has also seen case rates rise in at least 30 boroughs.
Shocking figures released last week by Imperial College London and Ipsos Mori show that the number of cases of the deadly virus is doubling every seven to eight days in England.
And the R rate, which shows how many people, on average, an infected person will transmit the virus to, has skyrocketed to 1.7.
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Meanwhile, the British have struggled to make appointments for testing due to a backlog of around 240,000 swabs.
This week alone it was claimed that no tests were available at the top 10 access points in England.
Londoners have even been told to pretend they are from Aberdeen to get a local coronavirus test amid the booking chaos.
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