Boris Johnson is facing mounting pressure to bring in harsher coronavirus restrictions, as fears grow that the second wave will kill more people than the first.
On Tuesday, the UK recorded its highest daily Covid-19 death toll since May, amid warnings that all of England may need to be put under tier three by mid-December.
Downing Street did not deny that Government scientists projected the toll could remain high throughout the winter and result in more fatalities than in the spring. With total deaths involving the virus now topping 61,000 across the UK, The Telegraph reported the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies’ (Sage) latest projections have led to intense lobbying from experts, including chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Valance, for more drastic action. The newspaper claimed that Number 10 is now expecting a ‘lower but longer’ peak of deaths.
Sage analysis suggests the highest level of restrictions, tier three, may be needed across all of England by mid-December, according to The Sun. A source told the paper that the latest figures are ‘utterly bleak’.
Visit our live blog for the latest updates Coronavirus news live
A Government spokeswoman said ministers were receiving advice from a ‘wide range of scientific and medical experts’ and that the latest figures are ‘concerning’.
Official data showed yesterday that a further 367 people died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, while there were another 22,885 lab-confirmed cases of the virus.
The number of deaths is the highest daily figure since May 27, when 422 deaths were reported.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director of Public Health England, warned the rising death toll from Covid-19 was likely to ‘continue for some time’.
Meanwhile, in France, President Emmanuel Macron is said to be considering another national lockdown.
The developments came amid concerns that West Yorkshire will soon be moved into the third tier of restrictions.
But there was opposition from the Kirklees district where local leaders, including Conservative MPs Jason McCartney and Mark Eastwood, who said they ‘do not feel comfortable agreeing’ to move to tier three ‘without any indication of how we get out of these restrictions and how long they will last’.
Nottingham city and surrounding boroughs are set to have the toughest controls imposed on Thursday, but the details of the lockdown expected to be outlined on Tuesday have been delayed.
Lilian Greenwood, the MP for Nottingham South, suggested the delay was due to ministers wanting to extend the restrictions to the whole of Nottinghamshire.
The Labour MP added: ‘Public trust is being undermined by their woeful communications.’
More than eight million people in England, predominantly in the North, will be under the most stringent Covid-19 restrictions by the end of the week.
Warrington entered tier three on Tuesday, forcing pubs and bars in the Cheshire town to shut unless they serve ‘substantial’ meals.
Households are also banned from mixing indoors or in private gardens and beer gardens, while betting shops, adult gaming centres, casinos and soft play centres have been shut.
With Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Yorkshire already under the harshest restrictions, the latest changes will mean 8.2 million people in England are living with major curbs on their freedoms.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: UK records another 367 coronavirus deaths in biggest daily rise since May
0 Commentaires