GOVE: I’M HOPING FOR END
ENGLAND’S four- week lockdown could be extended beyond December 2 if infection rates do not significantly fall.
Michael Gove said he believed the restrictions announced by Boris Johnson will bring down the R value, but he warned that people may have to stay at home for longer if not.
The Cabinet Office Minister said: “We want to be in a position where we can – and I believe that this is likely to be the case – have an approach where if we bring down the rate of infection sufficiently we can reduce measures nationally and also reduce measures regionally.
“We may see a specific upsurge in specific areas which will require specific regional measures.”
Ex- chief scientific adviser Sir Mark Walport said there was “obviously a possibility” that the restrictions could last longer than the first lockdown.
He said: “The lockdown is not as severe as it was first time round, so the only way to know is to see how quickly the new cases start dropping.
“As we know, there’s a lag between the case developing, hospitalisation and the horrible consequences of severe illness or death. It’s unlikely this time to come down quite as fast as it did during the first lockdown because we have got schools open.”
Pubs, bars, restaurants and nonessential retail will close from Thursday across England. People will be allowed to exercise and socialise outside with their household or one other person, but not indoors.
A further 162 deaths were recorded in the latest 24- hour period, with 23,254 new cases.