Ministers will consign Britain to another three weeks of coronavirus lockdown today – as one of their own key experts condemned the government’s response and warned curbs cannot be eased until mass testing is in place.
Dominic Raab is set to confirm that the draconian will stay in place until at least mid-May after a Cobra emergency committee meeting this afternoon, despite mounting fears about the economic havoc being caused.
Professor Neil Ferguson warned that there is no possibility of the country returning to ‘normal’ until a vaccine is produced.
The epidemiologist – who has been modelling the outbreak for the government – delivered a withering verdict on the performance of ministers, urging them to ‘accelerate action’ to create a system where everyone with symptoms, and everyone they have come into contact with, is tested.
He suggested the organisation in Whitehall was not on the same scale as the effort on Brexit, despite the problem being on a totally different scale.
Meanwhile, pressure is growing on the government to come up with an ‘exit strategy’ – which they insist must not be discussed until scientists are sure the peak has passed.
One report today said coffee shops, restaurants and estate agents should be among the first to reopen on Britain’s high streets, as they are the businesses most likely to boost the economy and pose the smallest risk of spreading the virus.
All of these shops will have to practise social distancing with gaps between tables to ensure they are safe.
Recently, Burger King, KFC and Pret have announced plans to partially reopen
A report given to ministers say these businesses are the most likely to boost the economy and pose the smallest risk of spreading the virus. Pictured, A stay home, save lives sign in an estate agents window in Grantham, Lincolnshire
The report, seen by The Sun, was drawn up by Conservative peer Lord Gadhia and GlaxoSmithKline chairman Sir Jonathan Symonds.
They call for a small number of high street stores to open as Britain ‘must learn to live with Covid’ until a vaccine is mass produced in 12 to 18 months.
As lockdown is set to last a further three weeks ministers are desperate to find a solution to boost the shrinking economy.
The report says: ‘The initial focus for reopening the economy should be on sectors that have the greatest multiplier effects with minimum risks — such as coffee shops and restaurants which support agriculture.
‘The property market is another that has wide multiplier effects. We need to avoid a stop-start economy which would sap public morale and damage business confidence yet further.’
The fast food giant is serving meals at 11 branches across the country but with a limited menu and no eating in (file photo)
Several high street chains like McDonalds, Primark and Topshop have closed their doors due the coronavirus outbreak.
Recently, Burger King, KFC and Pret have announced plans to partially reopen.
Their shops will open near hospitals and GP surgeries for delivery and takeaway services only.
Ministers could be given the green light to start planning an exit from the lockdown within ten days, the Chief Medical Officer suggested last night.
Chris Whitty said Government experts hoped to have enough evidence about the transmission of the coronavirus by that point to ‘judge how we can go into the next phase’.
The lockdown is set to be extended today for at least three weeks, despite fresh warnings about the long-term impact on the economy.
The Cabinet is expected to rubberstamp the extension in a conference call this morning ahead of a formal decision this afternoon by the Government’s emergency committee Cobra, which will be attended by Nicola Sturgeon and political leaders in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Graph shows the UK’s average daily coronavirus deaths for the previous seven days, based on official figures. The dip at the end shows the numbers falling for two days – the first drop since the crisis began. Although it could be a sign of numbers plateauing, Chris Whitty yesterday said he expected a rise in deaths today as officials catch up with a lag in reporting over Easter
Multiple Government sources said there would be ‘no surprises’, with restrictions rolled over for another three weeks and the next review unlikely before May 7.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the continuing high death toll, which rose by 761 to 12,868 yesterday and is expected to spike again today, showed ‘why we cannot let up’.
He added: ‘We will not lift these measures until it is safe to do so.’
But at the daily Downing Street press conference, Professor Whitty said the epidemic was ‘probably reaching the peak overall’ and ‘we do all think this has flattened out.’
He added: ‘The more understanding we have of where that is, which will happen over the next ten days, the more easy it is to judge how we can go into the next phase in a way that is properly evidence-based.’
And Matt Hancock gave a further hint that lockdown measures would be extended tomorrow, saying: ‘We cannot let go of the hard work that’s been done so far… we will not lift these measures until it is safe to do so.’
Discussing the coronavirus crisis in Downing Street last night, Professor Whitty said: ‘On the issue of the peak, our view is that it is probably reaching the peak overall and that is what the flattening shows.
‘I think it is important, and I am saying this because new data will come out presumably tomorrow, my expectation would be that the number of deaths may well go up because there has been after every weekend we see a dip over the weekend and for the two days afterwards and then an increase as we catch up with the numbers.
‘After a long four day weekend there may well be a bounce up tomorrow. I think it is very important we don’t get to the point where we say, look at the numbers of deaths that means we have passed the peak.
‘But we do all think that this has flattened out. Sadly we do think that high numbers of deaths will continue, certainly for a short while on from where we are at the moment.
‘So I think at the moment we are not yet at the point where we can say confidently and safely this is now past the peak and we can start thinking very much about the next phases.’
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab – standing in for Boris Johnson as he continues to recuperate from the disease – will chair the meeting of the Cabinet this morning.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called on ministers to publish an ‘exit strategy’ from the lockdown, which has been in place since March 23.
There is also growing unease in Tory circles about the economic damage being caused.
Former Chancellor Sajid Javid said it was vital to ‘phase out this lockdown as soon as we possibly can based on scientific advice’.