Coronavirus UK: Dominic Raab says lockdown must continue

Dominic Raab read the riot act to Britons ahead of the sunny Easter weekend tonight saying lockdown must stay in force until the coronavirus outbreak peaks.

The Foreign Secretary appealed to the public to keep following social distancing rules as he took the daily Downing Street briefing, insisting the disease must not be allowed to ‘kill more people and hurt our country’.

In a stark message, Mr Raab – deputising for Boris Johnson as he is treated in intensive care – said there would not be any : ‘We’re not done yet. We must keep going.’  

However, ministers are facing a mounting backlash for stonewalling over their coronavirus ‘exit plan’, amid fears of massive damage to the economy. Mr Raab hinted this evening that they are avoiding doing so to avoid people ‘taking their eye off the ball’. ‘We will make the right decisions at the right moment and we will be guided by the science,’ he said.     

The intervention came after Mr Raab chaired the Cobra crisis meeting this afternoon, and the UK recorded another 881 deaths – although in a small relief numbers fell back from the high of almost 1,000 declared yesterday.

Far from easing the lockdown, police have been urging tighter restrictions such as barring people from driving long distances and making it illegal to exercise more than once a day – although Home Secretary Priti Patel has so far batted away the calls. 

But the trade-offs involved in the national effort are becoming increasingly clear, with claims two million people have already lost their jobs. 

The respected IFS think-tank has warned that more than a million people might suffer long-term illness as a result of the economic misery.

Labour’s new leader Keir Starmer said ministers must spell out their ‘exit strategy’. ‘I’m not calling for precise timings, but the strategy,’ he said. ‘This is incredibly difficult on people and we need to know that plans are in place, and what they are.’  

Downing Street insists planning is under way across Whitehall for the restrictions to be eased – but flatly refused to say what that might involve, saying the government’s focus is on tackling the epidemic.  

On another punishing day as the world navigates the biggest crisis in a generation:

  • Mr Johnson is ‘continuing to improve’ in intensive care, and he has been sitting up ‘engaging’ with medical staff treating him at St Thomas’ hospital, but Mr Raab said he has not spoken to him since he was admitted;
  • A respected think-tank has warned that a million people could end up with long-term health conditions as a result of the economic hit from coronavirus lockdown;
  • The Bank of England has extended the government’s Ways and Means provision – effectively its overdraft;
  • New figures show the economy had effectively flatlined before the coronavirus crisis hit with 0.1 per cent growth in the three months to February; 
  • A bitter row has erupted between the government’s chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance and other experts over whether lockdown measures had been modelled too late in the crisis; 
  • It has emerged that MPs have been offered an extra £10,000 in expenses to help them and staff work from home; 
  • EU officials have accused the UK government of being in ‘fantasy land’ by insisting the Brexit transition period cannot be extended beyond December; 

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the disease must not be allowed to ‘kill more people and hurt our country’ as he took the daily Downing Street briefing

Nicola Sturgeon pre-empted Dominic Raab's coronavirus crisis meeting today by declaring there is 'no possibility' of lockdown being lifted any time soon

Nicola Sturgeon pre-empted Dominic Raab’s coronavirus crisis meeting today by declaring there is ‘no possibility’ of lockdown being lifted any time soon

Police chiefs urge tougher lockdown curbs 

Police chiefs are calling for laws to ban Britons from driving long distances and flouting the rule to exercise more than once a day ahead of a hot Easter weekend.

Officers in Windermere, Cumbria, are already sending people in camper vans home, while locals in St Ives, Cornwall, blocked some roads to protect vulnerable residents.

Police have also created online forms for people to report potential breaches of the lockdown which was imposed on March 23 to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

At least five chief constables are said to be backing more stringent restrictions and clearer rules – including legislation to enforce the order to limit exercise to a one-hour period outdoors after some people flouted it to sunbathe in parks or beaches.

Northamptonshire Police said the ‘three-week grace period is over’ and suggested they may even start searching shopping trolleys, but how this would work is unclear. 

Currently, police can fine people or simply tell them to move. The emergency Coronavirus Act gives ministers sweeping powers to impose restrictions on ‘events and gatherings’, which it appears could be deployed to cover unnecessary travel.

According to the legislation this can cover ‘any vehicle, train, vessel or aircraft’, as well as ‘any tent or moveable structure’. The Health Secretary can issue a ‘direction’ prohibiting events of a ‘specified description’ to stop the transmission of the virus.

However, the law does not include any provision that could force people to have prior permission, show paperwork, or have reasonable cause to leave the house.

The UK has recorded 881 more coronavirus deaths today, taking Britain’s total to 7,978 as its coronavirus crisis rumbles on and 4,344 more positive tests pushed the number of patients, past and present, to 65,077.

The grim tally is considerably smaller than the devastating 938 announced yesterday but still represents the second biggest surge since the epidemic began almost six weeks ago. Britain has so far managed to avoid the dark milestone of announcing 1,000 deaths in a single day, something that has only happened in the US.

NHS England announced 765 more fatalities in its hospitals among patients aged between 24 and 103, taking England’s total to 7,248, and 116 deaths were announced in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Experts say it is still too soon to see the impact of the UK’s lockdown in daily statistics but, speaking in today’s Government briefing, chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said ‘the NHS can cope’ with the current situation. Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical adviser, added ‘there is still room’ in intensive care units.

In a direct appeal to the public, Mr Raab said: ‘Above all, as we go into this long bank holiday weekend I think people should think very long and hard, not just about the guidance and the importance of keeping it up, but about what happens to those on the NHS frontline who are doing a heroic job, if people in large numbers don’t comply with those rules.

‘I would urge everyone just to take a moment before they do anything however warm it is, however great the temptation, just to think about the sacrifices those on the frontline, particularly in our NHS are making.’

Mr Raab said: ‘While the early signs suggest that they are having the impact we need to see, it’s too early to say that conclusively.

‘Sage (the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies) will meet next week to discuss the latest evidence and we will keep the measures we’ve put in place under review.’

Mr Raab added: ‘We don’t expect to be able to say more on this until the end of next week.

‘The measures will have to stay in place until we’ve got the evidence that clearly shows we’ve moved beyond the peak.’

No10 has made clear the PM will not be participating in any government business while he battles the disease in intensive care – meaning decisions are in the hands of Mr Raab and Cabinet.  

Asked if he had spoken to Mr Johnson since taking over his responsibilities, Mr Raab said: ‘Not yet, I think it’s important particularly while he’s in intensive care to let him focus on the recovery.

‘We in the Government have got this covered. I chaired the Cobra meeting that I have just come from, we are pursuing all the different strands of our strategy to defeat the coronavirus and I’m confident we’ll get there.’

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden confirmed this morning that a legally-required review to extend emergency measures will take place next week. 

While insisting that will be the ‘formal’ decision, he gave a strong hint there will not be any change. ‘It is essential we stay the course,’ he said. ‘The guidance very much remains in place and will continue to remain in place over the Easter weekend.’   

But speaking on Sky News shortly afterwards, Ms Sturgeon said: ‘I don’t think there is any possibility, any likelihood of these lockdown measures being lifted immediately, or even imminently.’ 

She added: ‘I wouldn’t expect any change coming out of today’s Cobra meeting but we will see where the discussions take us.’ 

Downing Street pointedly did not contradict Ms Sturgeon, with a spokesman saying: ‘What we absolutely need to do now is to keep baring down on the rate of transmission which means continuing with social distancing measures and making sure we are protecting the NHS and saving lives. 

‘As we have said before we are at a critical point, that is certainly the case as we approach the Easter weekend.’ 

A formal decision on extending lockdown will not be taken until next week, but there is now no chance of it being lifted. Senior politicians are set to launch a ‘Stay at Home This Easter’ publicity drive later designed to avert an exodus of sunseekers.   

There are growing concerns over the economic impact of coronavirus as the World Trade Organisation warned of the ‘deepest recession in our lifetimes’. 

The British Chambers of Commerce warned that furloughing staff could cost taxpayers £50billion over the next three months.  

A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) today raised fresh questions about the trade-offs involved in the extreme curbs, which are intended to stop hundreds of thousands being killed by the disease. 

The IFS said there is debate over ‘whether the adverse health effects of a recession may be greater than the increased morbidity and mortality within the pandemic itself’. 

It stressed that the scale of the economic hit from the lockdown is unclear, but is likely to be ‘much larger’ than the 2008 credit crunch which meant 900,000 more people of working age developed serious health issues. 

Another 500,000 are estimated to have suffered poor mental health as a result of that crisis. 

If the economic hit is twice as large it would be expected to lead to 1.8million people enduring chronic illness, and a million mental health issues. 

In a sign of the intensifying strain on the country’s finances, the Government said it has expanded its overdraft with the Bank of England to ensure it has sufficient cash to cope with disruption. 

It said the central bank will directly finance the extra spending the Government needs on a temporary basis.

The Treasury and the Bank of England said, in a joint statement, that it would minimise the need to raise additional funding from bond markets or currency markets. 

The Government’s bank account at the central bank, historically known as the Ways & Means Facility, will rise to an undisclosed amount. 

Ministers will be able to spend more in the short term without having to tap into the bond markets, as a result of the move. 

Government extends ‘overdraft’ with the Bank of England 

The Government has expanded its overdraft with the Bank of England to ensure it has sufficient cash to cope with coronavirus disruption. 

It said the central bank will directly finance the extra spending the Government needs on a temporary basis.

The Treasury and the Bank of England said, in a joint statement, that it would minimise the need to raise additional funding from bond markets or currency markets. 

The Government’s bank account at the central bank, historically known as the Ways & Means Facility, will rise to an undisclosed amount. 

Ministers will be able to spend more in the short term without having to tap into the bond markets, as a result of the move. 

Any money drawn from the facility, which usually stands at around £400million, will be paid back as soon as possible before the end of the year, the Treasury said. 

The measure was last used during the 2008 financial crisis, which saw its value increase briefly to £19billion. 

Meanwhile, police chiefs are calling for laws to ban Britons from driving long distances and flouting the rule to exercise more than once a day ahead of a hot Easter weekend.

Officers in Windermere, Cumbria, are already sending people in camper vans home, while locals in St Ives, Cornwall, blocked some roads to protect vulnerable residents.

Police have also created online forms for people to report potential breaches of the lockdown which was imposed on March 23 to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

At least five chief constables are said to be backing more stringent restrictions and clearer rules – including legislation to enforce the order to limit exercise to a one-hour period outdoors after some people flouted it to sunbathe in parks or beaches.

Northamptonshire Police said the ‘three-week grace period is over’ and suggested they may even start searching shopping trolleys, but how this would work is unclear. 

Currently, police can fine people or simply tell them to move. The emergency Coronavirus Act gives ministers sweeping powers to impose restrictions on ‘events and gatherings’, which it appears could be deployed to cover unnecessary travel.

According to the legislation this can cover ‘any vehicle, train, vessel or aircraft’, as well as ‘any tent or moveable structure’. The Health Secretary can issue a ‘direction’ prohibiting events of a ‘specified description’ to stop the transmission of the virus.

However, the law does not include any provision that could force people to have prior permission, show paperwork, or have reasonable cause to leave the house.

The PM’s spokesman said ‘the police have our full backing, and the public’s as well’. He added that police should ‘engage, encourage and then enforce’. 

The Government confirmed that anyone caught sunbathing would be asked to move on by police, with a Downing Street spokesman saying: ‘People should not be going to parks or beaches to sunbathe. It goes against our rules on essential movement.’ 

Devon and Cornwall Police are threatening to fine holidaymakers and second home owners who try to enter the area for the Easter weekend and refuse them entry. 

Locals have already told the council about 650 cases of holiday lets and second home owners who have arrived in Cornwall in the five days before the weekend. 

Vaccine ‘could be ready by the Autumn’ 

Oxford University researchers are confident they can roll out a vaccine for coronavirus within the next eight months.

This ‘best case scenario’ is much sooner than was previously touted. Britain’s chief scientific adviser said it would be at least 2021 until a vaccine was ready.

But the Oxford team, one of hundreds worldwide racing to develop a COVID-19 cure, warned it will be ‘challenging’ if the outbreak peaks before a jab is ready for trials.

With no tests available to identify who has already been infected it could be difficult to find unexposed people to take part in the trial, the researchers say.

More than 500 volunteers aged between 18 and 55 have signed up to the trial and will begin tests towards the end of the month.

Modelling by researchers at the University of Washington predicts Britain will hit its peak on April 17. So far the virus has killed 7,100 and infected 55,000 in the UK. 

The researchers told The Telegraph: ‘The best-case scenario is that by the autumn of 2020 we have the results about the effectiveness of the vaccine from a phase III trial and the ability to manufacture large amounts of the vaccine.’

They admitted that this time frame was ‘highly ambitious’ many things could get in the way of that target. 

‘At the moment it is not possible to identify who has already been infected,’ they added, ‘and if the virus is spreading quickly throughout the population it might be difficult to find unexposed people to take part in the trial.

‘Conducting trials after the peak subsides presents another problem, because so many people will have developed a natural immunity by then, and the amount of transmission will have dropped so that those who are still not immune will take longer to be exposed to the virus.’

At a press conferent last night, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said a UK-wide decision would not be taken until next week when the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies reports. He also admitted there would be economic ‘hardship ahead’.

Professor Stephen Powis of NHS England said the lockdown was working. But he added: ‘We have to continue following instructions, we have to continue following social distancing – if we don’t, the virus will start to spread again.’

Polling by King’s College London and Ipsos Mori showed nine out of ten people support the lockdown. 

Sung-Il Cho, professor of epidemiology at Seoul National University, told The Daily Telegraph that cases ought to drop below 50 per fortnight before moves towards a ‘gradual recovery.’

Modelling by the newspaper found that for the UK that would mean waiting until the middle of next month.

The South Koreans have been able to bring the virus to heel by a stringent testing regime, contact tracing and quarantines. They have recorded just 200 deaths without imposing a lockdown and record 53 new cases each day.

Professor Chis Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer, echoed Mr Sunak, saying that there would be no talk of an exit strategy until ‘we are confident we are beyond the peak.’

However, experts have warned that returning to life after lockdown won’t be a return to normality. Many anticipate that there will be a vicious resurgence of the disease in the autumn.

Prof David Alexander, of University College London’s institute for risk and disaster reduction, told The Telegraph: ‘Britain and other countries should hold themselves ready to return to lockdown, possibly with more stringent conditions than before. In the autumn, a second wave of Covid-19 could occur and could be devastating.’

Another option is to allow the young and healthy to return to work, while others continue with the strict ‘stay at home’ guidance.

But the majorities of scientists believe the government will opt for the strategy of beating the numbers of cases down to a tiny level before proceeding with any liberation of the populace.  

There can be a time lag of more than three weeks between someone becoming infected with coronavirus and dying. Symptoms take days – if not weeks – to become life-threatening. The death has to be recorded and reported, and the family notified, in a process that takes days

PM ‘continues to improve’ says Downing Street 

Boris Johnson is ‘continuing to improve’ in intensive care and engaging with medical staff treating him for coronavirus, it was revealed today. 

Downing Street relayed more positive signs about the Prime Minister’s health saying he had a ‘good night’ although he is still receiving oxygen. 

 ‘The PM had a good night and continues to improve in intensive care at St Thomas’s. He is in good spirits,’ his spokesman said.  

However, there is no sign Mr Johnson will be able to take part in decisions over the outbreak ravaging the country, after No10 confirmed yesterday that he is not working. 

In a round of interviews earlier, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the premier was doing ‘reasonably well’.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is chairing a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee later that is expected to signal the lockdown will continue for weeks longer despite mounting fears over the economic hit. 

He told BBC Breakfast this morning: ‘He’s stable, improving, sat up and engaged with medical staff.

‘I’ve known the Prime Minister for a long time and I wish him well in this difficult time and I think things are getting better for him.’

And even if that were achieved, life would not suddenly resume as it was before the draconian measures were placed upon us. 

Dr Joe Grove, of UCL’s department of infection and immunity, told The Telegraph: ‘Once the current epidemic peak has passed, simply returning to life as usual would likely trigger another epidemic.

‘Ultimately, the only way we can shake off the shackles of Covid-19 is widespread immunity and the only safe way to achieve that is through vaccination. In the meantime, testing gives us a route to some semblance of normality.’

Downing Street has meanwhile expressed grave fears that people will defy its regulations to go out and enjoy the Easter Monday bank holiday sunshine. 

The Government is to formally set down its extension at the start of next week after processing three weeks’ worth of figures. 

Opinion polls show the public still backs the lockdown after the coronavirus claimed a record 938 deaths on Wednesday.

The WHO also agreed with the Government’s position yesterday, Dr Hans Kluge warned: ‘Now is not the time to relax measures.’

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, chaired by Sir Patrick Vallance, will tomorrow meet to discuss how the current regulations on public freedoms have affected the infection and death rates.

Italy, which has recorded the highest number of deaths in the world, extended their lockdown, which started on March 9, until mid-May. 

Officials have often reminded Britons that we are two weeks behind the Italians.

Britain’s highest daily death toll was 938 yesterday.

That compares to Italy’s highest of 919 on March 28, and Spain’s 950 fatalities on April 3.

‘We are out of lockdown, but sneeze and you’re shunned’: Briton living in Wuhan reveals how the joy of freedom after 76 days is tainted by China’s draconian security measures on the streets

As lockdown in Wuhan is finally lifted, a 32-year-old British expat who has been working in the city for several years sends this vivid despatch on the realities of freedom. 

At midnight on Tuesday, I was woken up by whoops and cheers of ‘Come on Wuhan’ as my neighbours in this city of 11 million that spawned the coronavirus pandemic celebrated the formal end of quarantine after 77 long, frustrating days. 

For a week, I’d been permitted to leave my compound on specific errands for up to two hours, but yesterday was the first day that I could come and go as I pleased. 

The shops are reopening so I can buy razors and give myself a proper shave – re-using the same razor for almost three months has been a nightmare. I can finally get a haircut, too. 

The 32-year-old British expat said: 'Freedom after so long is welcome but nerve-wracking.' Pictured: Workers wearing facemasks make a barbecue at a market in Wuhan

The 32-year-old British expat said: ‘Freedom after so long is welcome but nerve-wracking.’ Pictured: Workers wearing facemasks make a barbecue at a market in Wuhan

And some restaurants have resumed service. 

The first thing I did was to go to my favourite noodle restaurant for its beef special that is so delicious I’ve had it for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the same day. 

The local Starbucks is busy and a nearby bar has just had its first beer delivery for more than two months. Before the virus hit, life in China was all about convenience. If you wanted to get a toothbrush delivered at 4am, then you could. 

But under lockdown we’d wait three days for a community delivery of specific goods: fresh vegetables, meat – mostly pork – rice and flour. 

If you fancied something different, tough. I went out early yesterday morning and was surprised by the number of people and cars on the streets. 

But it was rush hour and the crowds were an indication of a widespread return to work. 

Roadblocks on highways leading in and out of the city have also been removed. 

Life is being breathed back into the city, which is the capital of Hubei, a province that has suffered 67,803 cases of Covid-19 and 3,213 deaths, according to official figures. 

Citizens can now travel between cities again and the local airport is back in business. 

There were no fewer than 200 flights scheduled to depart Wuhan yesterday, carrying 10,000 passengers. 

Tens of thousands more left on 100 high-speed trains. Day care centres, schools and colleges remain shut dependent on a ruling from Beijing on when they can reopen, but it surely won’t be long. 

Yes, normality is returning but darker undertones persist. Freedom after so long is welcome but nerve-wracking. 

Every few days, security guards come banging on my door – it can happen early in the morning or late at night – and three people in full protective clothing, visors and masks will come and have a look around my apartment and check me for signs of fever with a ‘thermometer gun’. 

Another person records the procedure on a mobile phone. 

Out on the streets it’s the same story – security guards armed with thermometer ‘guns’ to do spot checks maintain a highprofile presence, while trucks cruise the streets spraying disinfectant. 

And many people are continuing to wear facemasks. There is still tension and wariness here. 

Cough or sneeze on the street and people will cross the road to avoid you. Anyone who looks sick is treated like a leper. 

To Western eyes, the mass surveillance and monitoring is draconian. 

Each citizen is allocated a unique QR code, via the WeChat app, that serves as proof they are healthy. 

The QR code is linked to an individual’s government ID card and includes details of a blood test and health check that show they are virus-free. 

No one is allowed to leave a gated community, use public transport or visit shopping malls or buy food without having scanned their code. 

Foreigners like me are not entitled to a QR code. I carry a letter from my doctor testifying to my virus-free status which I show along with my ID card. 

Life is being breathed back into the city, which is the capital of Hubei, a province that has suffered 67,803 cases of Covid-19 and 3,213 deaths, according to official figures. Pictured: Passengers wait to enter the railway station after the lockdown was lifted in Wuhan, China

Life is being breathed back into the city, which is the capital of Hubei, a province that has suffered 67,803 cases of Covid-19 and 3,213 deaths, according to official figures. Pictured: Passengers wait to enter the railway station after the lockdown was lifted in Wuhan, China

This is the reality that has replaced lockdown now. To be checked and checked again. 

Will it be enough to stop a second wave of infections? I hope so. 

Wuhan is paying a high economic price for the lockdown. 

The seafood market identified as the most likely source of this new strain of coronavirus outbreak remains sealed off by blue police tape, and is heavily patrolled by officers. 

Walk down any street and you will see stores that have been abandoned because retailers can no longer afford to pay the rent. 

Clothing shops, speciality restaurants, and even some banks are still closed with trash piling up outside. 

No wonder many of the people who came to Wuhan from the countryside to find work left at the first opportunity yesterday. But people are returning. 

The Wuhan quarantine was put in place during the Spring Festival, as the Chinese New Year celebration is known, a time when many people had left the city to visit family in their hometowns. 

From my window I see young couples laden with luggage moving back to homes they have not lived in since January. 

And this brings me to a problem that many here might rather stayed hidden. 

Some of those who left Wuhan to celebrate the beginning of the Year of the Rat elsewhere, left their cats, dogs and other pets behind with enough water and food for a few days. 

After all, they’d be back very soon… 

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