Coronavirus cases are rising in the UK because ministers pushed lockdown easing measures ‘to their limits’, England’s chief medical officer warned today. Professor Chris Whitty poured cold water on Boris Johnson‘s plan to get the UK back to normal by Christmas, warning that relaxing rules further would ‘absolutely, inevitably’ lead to a resurgence of the … Read more
Reimposing lockdown measures on 4.5 million people in the north of England is the culmination of a week of warnings from the Government’s top health experts about the risk of rising infection. Matt Hancock announced last night that people from different households in Greater Manchester, parts of east Lancashire and West Yorkshire are now banned from … Read more
Ministers decided to reimpose quarantine travel restrictions on Spain after it emerged 10 Britons had returned from the country with coronavirus and Professor Chris Whitty said ‘doing nothing isn’t an option’. The Government’s Covid-O committee met on Saturday afternoon after Health Secretary Matt Hancock raised concerns about a spike in Spanish infections on Friday. The … Read more
The Government’s scientific advisers today butted heads about whether the UK was too slow to enforce lockdown. In an uncharacteristically bad-tempered interview, England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty claimed there were ‘operational difficulties’ that made it difficult to shut the country down in a week. During a virtual grilling with MPs, Professor Whitty denied there … Read more
SAGE scientists told the Government a month ago it would not be possible to return to a ‘pre-Covid normality’ without a vaccine or a far better contact tracing system, it emerged today. In a report submitted to ministers on June 22, scientists advising Number 10 said social distancing will need to be in place until … Read more
So where were Sir Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty? No10 scientific advisers are notably absent as Boris Johnson gives latest Covid address – hours after SAGE chief snubbed PM’s return-to-work plea The experts have become familiar faces at Number 10 podium during the crisis Instead, Mr Johnson was joined by NHS test and trace chief … Read more
The UK is on track to suffer another 30,000 coronavirus deaths because lockdown has been lifted too early, an ‘alternative SAGE’ panel of experts warned today. Infection rates have stopped falling for the first time in months due to people starting to meet up again, the independent scientists say. About 3,000 people are still catching … Read more
Boris Johnson has not looked as cheerful for a long time as he did in the Commons yesterday. His is a sunny nature and he does not like to be cast in the part of Charles Dickens’s Thomas Gradgrind — a sober man obsessed with numbers. That is a role he cedes happily to Sir … Read more
Brits have reacted with delight as nail bars, salons and pubs are finally set to open on July 4 – but hairdressers are already facing waiting lists of four months. After a lockdown of unruly hair, chipped nails and a distinct lack of pint at your local pub, the government is set to announce the … Read more
There’s an apt and vivid phrase which Boris Johnson uses in private to describe a mood that has engulfed much of the country. He says we must beware of ‘morbid funk’. He appears to mean there is a risk of the nation being so obsessed with Covid-19, and so fearful of its consequences, that we’ll avoid … Read more
Senior ministers fear the top scientists advising the Government could quit over plans to ease the two-metre rule. Professor Chris Whitty, the popular Chief Medical Officer, and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance have made it clear they believe the current guidance on safe distancing should stay. But Boris Johnson will tomorrow pave the way for … Read more
Will there be a winter lockdown? Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warns stay-at-home rules could return if UK is hit with second wave of coronavirus when summer ends Professor Whitty also stressed the UK was still only in middle of the pandemic Infection rates could rise again as temperatures drop and people migrate inside Professor … Read more
What’s changing? From Monday, people can meet outside in groups of up to six as long as those from different households continue to socially distance. – Can I visit family and friends? Yes . This means that family groups of no more than six can meet in parks and private gardens for chats and even … Read more