CARROT AND TO LOW-PAID STICK AS CASH GIVEN BUT FLOUTERS FINED
could cause immense damage to the economy.
And in a carrot-and-stick approach, the Government is also introducing a new £500 Test and Trace Support payment for those on low incomes who are required to self-isolate.
Under the crackdown, starting from September 28, the Government will make it a legal duty for people to self-isolate once advised via the test and trace system.
Sources have said the number of those following the instructions currently is “well below the 100 per cent required”.
Britons could face on-and-off fortnight-long “circuit break” lockdowns nationwide for the next six months to get the country through winter and until a vaccine becomes available.
They could be announced by Boris Johnson as early as Tuesday as a second wave looms, it was reported last night.
New laws will fine those who fail to isolate for 14 days and will start at £1,000 and escalate to £10,000 for multiple offenders.
It comes amid claims that a spike in Bolton was caused by a person who was supposed to selfisolate but went on a pub crawl.
NHS Test and Trace call handlers will make regular contact with those self-isolating. They will have the ability to escalate any suspicion of non-compliance to local authorities and police.
Officers will be empowered to check compliance in highest incidence areas and in high-risk groups, based on local intelligence. People will be encouraged to identify those who are breaking the rules and report them to the authorities.
Yesterday, there were a further 27 deaths and 4,422 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.
Professor Neil Ferguson, whose advice prompted the first national lockdown, has warned that the UK is facing a “perfect storm” over coronavirus.
He said: “If we leave it another two to four weeks we will be back at levels we were seeing more like mid-march.
“That’s clearly going to cause deaths because people will be hospitalised.”
Prof Ferguson added: “We have in some sense a perfect storm right now of people – as they have been told to – getting back to normal, schools reopening, a surge in cases. So the testing system is under strain.”
Latest data from the Government’s Sage committee shows the R rate, which records how fast the virus is spreading, is between 1.1 and 1.4. This means the number of cases is doubling every seven to eight days.
There is an expectation that there could be lockdown restrictions imposed in London and Birmingham from Tuesday. This follows restrictions in north-east England and most of Lancashire.
Mr Johnson said: “The best way we can fight this virus is by everyone following the rules and self-isolating if they’re at risk of passing on coronavirus.
“And so nobody underestimates just how important this is, new regulations will mean you are legally obliged to do so if you have the virus or have been asked to do so by Test and Trace.
“People who choose to ignore the rules will face significant fines. We need to do all we can to control the spread of this virus, to prevent the most vulnerable from becoming infected, and to protect the NHS and save lives.
“And while most people are doing their absolute level best to comply with the rules, I don’t want to see a situation where people don’t feel they are financially able to self-isolate.
“That’s why we’re also introducing a new £500 Test and Trace Support payment for those on low incomes who are required by NHS Test and Trace to remain at home to help stop the spread.”
But the measures may not reassure Conservative MPS and donors who think there “needs to be a reset” on coronavirus policy
with lockdowns harm than good.
The Government is facing a potential rebellion if it tries to bring in another national lockdown with both new Conservative MPS and veterans arguing it would be a mistake.
Shipley MP Philip Davies said: “We have had a lockdown in Bradford for more than a month and the rate is still going up. It’s causing more clearly not working but is damaging the economy.”
He pointed to Government figures which showed flu and pneumonia are claiming almost as many lives as coronavirus, with 44,439 deaths to 51,018 between April and August.
And with local elections next year – including mayors of London and Birmingham – major donors are now withholding funds. One said: “We were willing to put our money behind Boris but there has just been a lack of leadership. Nobody knows what this Government stands for and there is clearly nobody with business experience making decisions about how to handle coronavirus.
“So all of us have decided not to give donations. We will wait and see if things improve.”
In her Labour
Connected virtual conference speech today, deputy leader Angela Rayner will say Mr Johnson needs to make good on his promise to fix the crisis in adult social care in England.
Meanwhile, SNP Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has again demanded a Uk-wide summit from the Prime Minister “takes place over next 48 hours”.
And doctors have urged the Government to U-turn on its “rule of six” and reverse its message encouraging workers to go back to the office. The British Medical
Association (BMA) said this would help drive down case numbers and avoid another lockdown.
Currently, a gathering of more than six people is banned, but it is possible for six people living in different households to meet indoors multiple times.
The BMA warned that unless people rigorously stick to social distancing and infection control measures, or there is better enforcement, rates will soar and the NHS will “once again be crippled” as it tries to cope.