Sky Eclat
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 17, 2012
- 57,761
- 216,011
Michael Gove today warned Britain to prepare for a “significant period” of lockdown and said things “will get worse” before they get better.
In the strongest indication yet that the government will extend restrictions beyond the three weeks initially announced by Boris Johnson last Monday, Mr Gove said Britons should prepare for a longer period of isolation.
His comments came as the virus claimed its 1,000th life in the UK and the government’s leading epidemiology adviser warned that the entire population may need to stay at home for up to three months.
Professor Neil Ferguson said that even when the lockdown was finally lifted, people would probably still be asked to enforce some forms of social distancing for months more.
That could mean schools and universities not reopening until the autumn, and people told to continue working from home rather than return to their offices.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr show, Mr Gove said the duration of lockdown would be determined by its effectiveness in reducing the number of new cases.
But he suggested that it was likely to be extended beyond April 6 when it is due to be reviewed.
“Everyone is making a sacrifice and I appreciate the scale of that sacrifice,” he said.
“But the reason all of us are making these sacrifices is because all of us will have people whom we love who are at risk from this virus.
“I can’t make an accurate prediction (of how long lockdown will last), but everyone does have to prepare for a significant period when these measures are still in place.”
The health secretary Matt Hancock, who is self-isolating having contracted the illness, today announced on Twitter that the government had met its target of carrying out 10,000 new coronavirus tests a day.
These are being focused on frontline NHS staff so that those who are off with a suspected case will know if it is safe to return to work.
Mr Gove acknowledged that the UK had done fewer tests than countries like Germany which have been more successful in reducing the death rate from the illness.
But he insisted that now was not the time to “look backwards”.
“It’s certainly the case the Germans have had success in testing. There are other countries that are also ramping up testing.
“But the acceleration here in the UK is significant. If one looks at a league table ... then the UK is rising up that.
“But frankly, the most important thing is not to look backwards but forwards and do everything to decrease the number of deaths.
“Once this epidemic is over there will be an opportunity to look back and learn the lessons.”
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary said there was international evidence that mass testing was the fastest way to end the lockdown.
“The restaurants are open in South Korea,” he wrote.
“You can go shopping in Taiwan. Offices are open in Singapore.
“These countries learned the hard way how to deal with a pandemic after the deadly Sars virus. They now show us how we can emerge from lockdown.”
Mr Hunt said mass testing gave authorities greater clarity when it comes to identifying and containing potential outbreaks.
“Where you find it, you can isolate and contain it,” he writes.
“And where you don’t, vital services continue to function.
“With mass testing, accompanied by rigorous tracing of every person a Covid-19 patient has been in touch with, you can break the chain of transmission.”
He was backed by the former prime minister Tony Blair who said that a point will need to be reached where a “very large” proportion of the entire population is tested for coronavirus.
“Your risk, obviously, is as you start to ease the lockdown, how do you then deal with any resurgence of the disease?
“I actually think you will need to get to the point where you’ve got the capability, and I assume we’re preparing for this now, of testing literally a very large proportion of the entire population.”
The shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth called for further curbs on non essential work.
“There are many non-essential workers being forced to go to their workplaces,” he told the Andrew Marr show, adding that the government needed to be “crystal clear” about which work is essential, and which is not.
Andy Burnham, the mayor of greater Manchester said he had received 300 complaints representing 150 businesses from people saying that they couldn’t safely distance.
There are some places open that really shouldn’t be because workers in those places can’t observe the two metre distancing,” he said.
In an attempt to ensure that the lockdown works, the government is sending every household a leaflet on what to do and a letter from the prime minister, at a total cost of £5.8m.
Mr Johnson writes: “It’s important for me to level with you — we know things will get worse before they get better. But we are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal.
“If too many people become seriously unwell at one time, the NHS will be unable to cope. This will cost lives. That is why we are giving one simple instruction — you must stay at home.”
The prime minister also warns that he will “not hesitate to go further” if necessary, but concludes: “It is with that great British spirit that we will beat the coronavirus and we will beat it together.”
Cabinet sources said two criteria would have to be met before Johnson could lift the lockdown: the number of new cases must be stable or falling; and the critical care capacity of NHS hospitals must not be exceeded.
The warnings came as:
● Ministers ordered 17.5 million tests for the virus from six suppliers, following criticism last week that they had bought 3.5m tests without knowing whether they would work
● It was revealed that just 800 NHS staff can be tested every day at two sites in Nottingham and at Chessington adventure park
watchdogs have been ordered to put the testing of personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors and nurses at the “front of the queue” for approvals in an effort to get PPE to the front line
● Ministers plan to unveil a rescue package for charities this week following warnings that many are on the verge of financial collapse
● Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, will shortly announce plans for commercial and charter flights to repatriate up to one million Britons stranded abroad as officials admitted the RAF might need to step in
● No 10 acknowledged that Johnson had been reduced to requesting American ventilators for the NHS when President Donald Trump rang on Friday night to commiserate with him for catching the virus. The US is also short of the life-saving machines.
Charities face a shortfall of £4.3bn in the coming 12 weeks as they miss out on the London marathon and other fundraising events.
But rather than rely entirely on the taxpayer, they want the government to release hidden funds trapped in dormant bank accounts and forgotten insurance policies — estimated at a potential £2bn.
The emergency could finally allow the nation to spend a £500m bequest, the National Fund, paid in 1928 by an anonymous donor to reduce the national debt.
It has long been tied up by legal wrangling, but a source said: “In effect there is a sign on it saying: Break glass in an emergency. Well, it is an emergency.”
Rob Wilson, a former charities minister who has been involved in talks with government, said: “I believe there is a package of some £4bn that could support charities undertaking frontline coronavirus work and those in distress through loss of fundraising.”
A Treasury source confirmed that Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, was working on a rescue package. “Charities are facing difficult decisions, and will not want to shut down their services at exactly the time those service are potentially needed.”
Last night the Northern Ireland executive issued its own rules, imposing a £5,000 fine on anyone leaving their home without a reasonable excuse or failing to follow regulations on closing businesses. Gatherings of more than two people were banned. The first minister, Arlene Foster, said: “We know the enormity of what we are asking of the public, but it is proportionate to the threat we all face from this deadly virus. No one is immune.”
In the strongest indication yet that the government will extend restrictions beyond the three weeks initially announced by Boris Johnson last Monday, Mr Gove said Britons should prepare for a longer period of isolation.
His comments came as the virus claimed its 1,000th life in the UK and the government’s leading epidemiology adviser warned that the entire population may need to stay at home for up to three months.
Professor Neil Ferguson said that even when the lockdown was finally lifted, people would probably still be asked to enforce some forms of social distancing for months more.
That could mean schools and universities not reopening until the autumn, and people told to continue working from home rather than return to their offices.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr show, Mr Gove said the duration of lockdown would be determined by its effectiveness in reducing the number of new cases.
But he suggested that it was likely to be extended beyond April 6 when it is due to be reviewed.
“Everyone is making a sacrifice and I appreciate the scale of that sacrifice,” he said.
“But the reason all of us are making these sacrifices is because all of us will have people whom we love who are at risk from this virus.
“I can’t make an accurate prediction (of how long lockdown will last), but everyone does have to prepare for a significant period when these measures are still in place.”
The health secretary Matt Hancock, who is self-isolating having contracted the illness, today announced on Twitter that the government had met its target of carrying out 10,000 new coronavirus tests a day.
These are being focused on frontline NHS staff so that those who are off with a suspected case will know if it is safe to return to work.
Mr Gove acknowledged that the UK had done fewer tests than countries like Germany which have been more successful in reducing the death rate from the illness.
But he insisted that now was not the time to “look backwards”.
“It’s certainly the case the Germans have had success in testing. There are other countries that are also ramping up testing.
“But the acceleration here in the UK is significant. If one looks at a league table ... then the UK is rising up that.
“But frankly, the most important thing is not to look backwards but forwards and do everything to decrease the number of deaths.
“Once this epidemic is over there will be an opportunity to look back and learn the lessons.”
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary said there was international evidence that mass testing was the fastest way to end the lockdown.
“The restaurants are open in South Korea,” he wrote.
“You can go shopping in Taiwan. Offices are open in Singapore.
“These countries learned the hard way how to deal with a pandemic after the deadly Sars virus. They now show us how we can emerge from lockdown.”
Mr Hunt said mass testing gave authorities greater clarity when it comes to identifying and containing potential outbreaks.
“Where you find it, you can isolate and contain it,” he writes.
“And where you don’t, vital services continue to function.
“With mass testing, accompanied by rigorous tracing of every person a Covid-19 patient has been in touch with, you can break the chain of transmission.”
He was backed by the former prime minister Tony Blair who said that a point will need to be reached where a “very large” proportion of the entire population is tested for coronavirus.
“Your risk, obviously, is as you start to ease the lockdown, how do you then deal with any resurgence of the disease?
“I actually think you will need to get to the point where you’ve got the capability, and I assume we’re preparing for this now, of testing literally a very large proportion of the entire population.”
The shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth called for further curbs on non essential work.
“There are many non-essential workers being forced to go to their workplaces,” he told the Andrew Marr show, adding that the government needed to be “crystal clear” about which work is essential, and which is not.
Andy Burnham, the mayor of greater Manchester said he had received 300 complaints representing 150 businesses from people saying that they couldn’t safely distance.
There are some places open that really shouldn’t be because workers in those places can’t observe the two metre distancing,” he said.
In an attempt to ensure that the lockdown works, the government is sending every household a leaflet on what to do and a letter from the prime minister, at a total cost of £5.8m.
Mr Johnson writes: “It’s important for me to level with you — we know things will get worse before they get better. But we are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal.
“If too many people become seriously unwell at one time, the NHS will be unable to cope. This will cost lives. That is why we are giving one simple instruction — you must stay at home.”
The prime minister also warns that he will “not hesitate to go further” if necessary, but concludes: “It is with that great British spirit that we will beat the coronavirus and we will beat it together.”
Cabinet sources said two criteria would have to be met before Johnson could lift the lockdown: the number of new cases must be stable or falling; and the critical care capacity of NHS hospitals must not be exceeded.
The warnings came as:
● Ministers ordered 17.5 million tests for the virus from six suppliers, following criticism last week that they had bought 3.5m tests without knowing whether they would work
● It was revealed that just 800 NHS staff can be tested every day at two sites in Nottingham and at Chessington adventure park
watchdogs have been ordered to put the testing of personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors and nurses at the “front of the queue” for approvals in an effort to get PPE to the front line
● Ministers plan to unveil a rescue package for charities this week following warnings that many are on the verge of financial collapse
● Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, will shortly announce plans for commercial and charter flights to repatriate up to one million Britons stranded abroad as officials admitted the RAF might need to step in
● No 10 acknowledged that Johnson had been reduced to requesting American ventilators for the NHS when President Donald Trump rang on Friday night to commiserate with him for catching the virus. The US is also short of the life-saving machines.
Charities face a shortfall of £4.3bn in the coming 12 weeks as they miss out on the London marathon and other fundraising events.
But rather than rely entirely on the taxpayer, they want the government to release hidden funds trapped in dormant bank accounts and forgotten insurance policies — estimated at a potential £2bn.
The emergency could finally allow the nation to spend a £500m bequest, the National Fund, paid in 1928 by an anonymous donor to reduce the national debt.
It has long been tied up by legal wrangling, but a source said: “In effect there is a sign on it saying: Break glass in an emergency. Well, it is an emergency.”
Rob Wilson, a former charities minister who has been involved in talks with government, said: “I believe there is a package of some £4bn that could support charities undertaking frontline coronavirus work and those in distress through loss of fundraising.”
A Treasury source confirmed that Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, was working on a rescue package. “Charities are facing difficult decisions, and will not want to shut down their services at exactly the time those service are potentially needed.”
Last night the Northern Ireland executive issued its own rules, imposing a £5,000 fine on anyone leaving their home without a reasonable excuse or failing to follow regulations on closing businesses. Gatherings of more than two people were banned. The first minister, Arlene Foster, said: “We know the enormity of what we are asking of the public, but it is proportionate to the threat we all face from this deadly virus. No one is immune.”
