PM Boris Johnson tells army to prepare for quadruple winter whammy of coronavirus, flu, Brexit and flooding that threatens to cripple Britain
- Lieutenant General Douglas Chalmers that No. 10 wants tabletop exercises
- He highlighted ‘the normal flu season’ and the coronavirus crisis as issues to face
- Also highlighted end of the transition period out of EU and potential flooding
Boris Johnson has told the army to prepare for a second wave of coronavirus, the flu, Brexit and flooding in a four-pronged disaster which threatens to cripple Britain.
Head of military strategy and operations at the Ministry of Defence Lieutenant General Douglas Chalmers said ‘No. 10 has been very clear’ that tabletop preparedness exercises must be completed by the end of August.
He highlighted ‘the normal flu season’ and the coronavirus crisis still being ‘very firmly with us’ as well as the end of Britain’s 11-month transition out of the EU on December 31st and potential flooding as issues Britain could face.
Lieutenant General Douglas Chalmers (left) today told the House of Lords public services committee that ‘No. 10 has been very clear’ that tabletop exercises to prepare for Winter must be completed by the end of August. Right: Boris Johnson
Lieutenant General Chalmers (pictured) spoke to the House of Lords public services committee
The head of military strategy and operations at the Ministry of Defence today told the House of Lords public services committee: ‘As we look towards the winter now, we know about the normal flu season.’
He added: ‘We are obviously transitioning out of the EU, and we have our normal floods et cetera that come on.
‘We are looking very heavily at how we do winter preparedness […] and we will support some of the departmental tabletop exercising.
‘No 10 has been very clear that those TT exercises need to be done by the end of August in order that we can learn from them and then act on some of those elements that have been brought forward.’
The preparation measures appear to contradict the Prime Minister’s hopes of getting life back to normal by Christmas.
Modelling by the Academy of Medical Sciences estimates more than 120,000 people could die from coronavirus this winter in a ‘reasonable worst-case scenario’
The modelling presumed the R – the average number of people each Covid-19 patient infects -would rise to 1.7
Mr Johnson previously said ministers will review all of the remaining ‘outstanding restrictions’ – including social distancing – in the coming months in order to allow a ‘more significant return to normality from November at the earliest’ and ‘possibly in time for Christmas’.
Concerns have been raised about potential food shortages and long lines at ports should the Brexit transition period come to an end on December 31 without a deal.
This would come around the same time as a potential second wave of coronavirus.
Earlier this month, scientists warned that a second wave of coronavirus this winter could result in 120,000 hospital deaths.
Action must be taken now to mitigate the ‘reasonable worst case scenario’ which would see the NHS overwhelmed, the Academy of Medical Sciences says.
The grim forecast – which does not include care home deaths – was commissioned by the Government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, to help preparations.
It warned that hospitals could see 120,000 Covid-19 deaths between September and June while also battling a surge in demand from usual winter pressures such as flu.
Another 79 people died of Covid-19 in Britain as official figures released today reveal the daily number of victims is still dropping —but cases are still rising in a sign the outbreak is growing.
Department of Health statistics show 64 Britons are succumbing to the illness each day, on average. By contrast, the rate last Wednesday was 75.
Concerns have been raised about potential food shortages and long lines at ports (file image of a queue of lorries in Kent) should the Brexit transition period come to an end on December 31 without a deal
Flooding has been highlighted as a potential issue this winter. February saw severe flooding in parts of the UK (Gloucester, pictured)
Today marked the seventh day in a row that no deaths have been recorded in Scotland and only one death has been counted in the past fortnight, showing the country is on the way to being free of coronavirus.
The number of cases, however, seems to be rising. A further 560 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus, up from 440 yesterday, and the seven-day average has been risen 9.2 per cent in the last week.
There are now an average 638 people diagnosed each day, up from 584 seven days ago and from 546 a week before that on July 8.
The increasing average may be a sign the infection has started spreading again, confirming fears of top scientists that ‘Super Saturday’ would trigger a surge in cases — or it could be a result of more targeted testing.