GUIDANCE ON MOST VULNERABLE IT’S LONG HAUL FOR LOCKDOWN Ant plays PICTURE his McPart

Restrictions may be in place for year until vaccine is found

OUR lives may not be back to normal until a cure or vaccine for Covid-19 is found, Britain’s top medic indicated yesterday.

And home working and sevenday isolation with symptoms may still be in place next year.

When asked by the Sunday Mirror whether some restrictions might still be needed up to 18 months on, NHS England medical director Prof Stephen Powis told a No 10 news conference: “This was never going to be a sprint of a few weeks. It is going to be a marathon.”

He said we are still only in “round one” of the battle, adding: “The job of scientists and doctors is to provide the Government with the best possible strategies to manage this virus over the months to come – and probably over longer than months.”

Sources say advice to work from home and stay in for seven days with symptoms are likely to still be the norm in early 2021. But schools and shops may be able to reopen within weeks if some social-distancing measures are in place. Meanwhile,

Home Secretary Priti Patel was twice asked at the conference to apologise for the personal protection equipment shortage.

She said: “I’m sorry if people feel there have been failings, but it is inevitable demand for PPE is going to be incredibly high.”

National Police Chiefs Council chairman Martin Hewitt said 1,084 on-the-spot fines had been issued for lockdown violations since it began three weeks ago. But there has been a 21 per cent fall in overall crime.

Ms Patel also announced a campaign to raise public awareness of domestic abuse, on the rise in lockdown.

People are to be encouraged to share photos of a heart on their palms to show victims they are not alone.

The Home Secretary is also spending £2million to bolster domestic abuse helplines and online support. One line saw a 120 per cent rise in calls in 24 hours.

Meanwhile, PM Boris Johnson was sitting up in his hospital bed yesterday, but is expected to be out of action for weeks.

Ms Patel said: “He needs some time and some space to rest, recuperate and recover.”

This was never going to be a sprint. It is going to be a marathon PROF POWIS ON LIFE GETTING BACK TO NORMAL