BORIS: WE CAN TURN THE TIDE IN 12 WEEKS
• First patient takes part in trial to find virus cure •Young warned to stop socialising • Plea to halt panic buying • PM insists nation must follow advice
BORIS JOHNSON has declared that Britain can “turn the tide” on coronavirus within 12 weeks if the nation pulls together.
The Prime Minister insists if households heed Government advice infections could be “on the downward slope” by the end of June.A combination of scientific progress in the race for a vaccine to halt the killer disease, widespread testing for infection and observance of “social distancing” measures will “send coronavirus
packing in this country”. Mr Johnson revealed the Government is “ramping up” testing – with the aim of carrying out 250,000 a day.
He struck a positive tone following further emergency action to support the economy in the crisis.
The Bank of England slashed the base interest rate to a historic low of just 0.1 per cent and pumped an extra £200billion into money markets to buoy the economy.
Both the stock market and the pound rebounded from this week’s slump following the cut from 0.25 per cent.
The FTSE 100 closed 71.03 points higher at 5,151.61 at the end of trading while the value of the pound rose 0.75 per cent against the US dollar at 1.167 and was up 2.86 per cent against the euro at 1.091.
Target
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to unveil today a massive package of support to prevent job cuts and protect incomes following talks with union leaders and business chiefs.
Mr Johnson’s 12-week estimate was his first attempt to put any timescale on solving the emergency. Officials declined to say whether hitting the target will lead to the advice to people to stay at home and avoid social gatherings, including pubs, being lifted.
Figures showed that the UK death toll from coronavirus reached 144 yesterday with around four in 10 of all deaths so far in London.
The PM, at his daily Downing Street news conference, thanked the public for responding to his call to scrap unnecessary travel and, where possible, work from home, praising the
“huge efforts that the country is making”. Mr Johnson added: “I know it’s tough but please, please follow the advice.
“I’m conscious as the days have gone by that people will want to know how long we’re expecting them to keep it up.
“Looking at, we can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks, and I’m confident we can send coronavirus packing in this country.
“But only if we all take the steps that we’ve outlined. That is vital. That’s how we’re going to reduce the peak.And once we’ve achieved that, and I think that we will, if we take the steps I’ve said, the scientific progress we’ve been making will start coming into play.” Mr Johnson said his confidence was boosted by medical advances. Experts expect to start trials for a vaccine against Covid-19 within a month. And he added: “To give you an idea of what is coming down the track, we’re in negotiations today to buy a so-called antibody test, as simple as a pregnancy test, which can tell whether you have had the disease.
“It’s early days, but if it works as its proponents claim, we will buy literally hundreds of thousands of these kits as soon as practicable.” He said knowing whether you have had Covid-19 could be a “total game-changer” as it would mean those people could get back to work and a normal routine. Mr Johnson explained: “We’re massively increasing the testing to see whether you have it now and ramping up daily testing from 5,000 a day, to 10,000 to 25,000 and then up at 250,000.”
“Now I cannot stand here and tell you that by the end of June that we will be on the downward slope. It’s possible, but I simply can’t say that that’s for certain, of course not.
“But what I can say is that this is going to be finite, we will turn the tide, and I can see how to do it within the next 12 weeks.”
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty warned there will be a “lag” before efforts to stem the spread of Covid-19 will result in a slowing of case numbers.
NHS workers would be the priority for tests to ensure they can safely go back to work.
Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said: “There’s a start of clinical trials – the first patient enrolled today.
“There’s a start of vaccine trials in mid-April expected.”
Sir Patrick added that the 12
weeks “is the timescale over which we need to really push to make sure that we get there”.
Mr Johnson down-played suggestions of a widespread shutdown in London, claiming: “There is no prospect of us wanting to stop public transport in London or stop the Tube or the buses.”
He also urged firms to “really think carefully before you start laying off your staff”. He said: “We do want to stand behind good companies, we do want to make sure people recognise they should stand behind their staff, because we in the Government are going to stand behind British firms.”
He spoke after the Chancellor held talks with senior figures from the Trades Union Congress, Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce and Federation for Small Business.
All agreed on a need for measures to support jobs and incomes.
Mr Sunak said: “We are working to deliver further support — and to do so urgently.”
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We must do whatever it takes to stop businesses going to the wall and workers being plunged into poverty.” Ministers yesterday published a Coronavirus Bill giving the Government emergency powers.
This could be rushed through to become law by Monday.
It will enable action to increase the health and social care workforce, ease the burden on frontline staff and support people through the crisis.