We need leadership
Calls for Johnson to give clearer response Restaurants and pubs still not shut down
BORIS Johnson faced demands for a clearer response to the pandemic yesterday as he again stopped short of forcing a full lockdown despite soaring deaths.
The Prime Minister and his two top coronavirus advisers again urged people to stop congregating in pubs and restaurants but still did not order the venues to shut.
The Mirror understands wider plans for a lockdown have been drawn up, but ministers have not yet worked out how they would be enforced.
Instead Mr Johnson dangled the prospect of “turning the tide” on the disease within 12 weeks if people voluntarily obey the experts. He added: “If we feel that it isn’t working and we need to bring forward tougher measures, nothing is ruled out.” He admitted the virus is “proceeding in a way that does not seem yet to be responding to our interventions”.
It came amid fears that many younger people were ignoring advice to limit social contact to slow the virus’s spread.
Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said: “Unless everyone does this, it doesn’t have the effect. Mixing in pubs and restaurants is a real part of allowing the disease to spread and it needs to stop.”
He said the
NHS would “grind to a halt” unless people heeded the advice, with patients suffering other serious conditions denied lifesaving treatment. As UK deaths rose to 144 England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said: “It’s important we don’t give the impression that every young healthy person is just going to breeze through this. There’ll be some young people who will have severe disease even though they’re otherwise healthy.”
Calling for stronger leadership in the crisis, Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “This virus exploits ambivalence. People need clarity, reassurance and expect determined resolve from government.”
Mr Johnson said UK scientists are expected to start trials for the first coronavirus vaccine within a month. He also said a UK patient who tested positive for the virus has been placed in a trial for a potential treatment.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a new type of test is available that can check if a patient has had coronavirus and has the antibodies in their system.
He said: “It is in production and we have been bought them today.”
The Government wants to move to 250,000 tests a day of those suspected of having the virus and those who
SIR PATRICK VALLANCE CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISER TO GOVT
have built up antibodies after recovering, allowing those now resistant to the illness to return to work.
Mr Hancock also sought to allay doctors’ fears, insisting a “massive effort” was under way to deliver personal protective equipment to NHS staff and social care providers.
He said 2.6 million masks and 10,000 bottles of hand sanitiser have been shipped in the past 24 hours and promised that every hospital will have a fresh delivery by the end of Sunday.
Mixing in pubs...is a real part of allowing the disease to spread
And 1,400 companies have come forward offering to make ventilators in response to a Government plea, he told BBC1’s Question Time last night.
But a damning report claimed the NHS needs to boost hospital beds by 150% to cope with the crisis.
The Midlands will be worst hit, with 2,900 extra beds and ventilators needed during the expected peak.
It came as:
■ Deaths in Italy overtook those registered in China, rising by 427 to 3,405.
■ The Bank of England cut interest rates from 0.25% to 0.1% – their lowest ever level – and pumped another of £200billion into the economy in its second emergency injection in eight days – taking its bond-buying scheme to £645billion. ■ A drug developed to treat malaria and prescribed on the NHS for arthritis has shown signs it may help beat the virus. Donald Trump announced hydroxychloroquine, sold under the brand name Plaquenil, will b e fast-tracked for approval in the US.
The Government published its Coronavirus Bill, outlining powers which could force pubs, shops, airports and train stations to shut.
It includes fines of up to £1,000 for refusing to be tested for Covid-19.
The plan is to be rushed through Parliament next week.