‘No evidence’ to scrap road map
THERE is no “conclusive” evidence to deviate from the road map out of lockdown despite concerns over the Indian coronavirus variant, Boris Johnson said.
The Prime Minister has previously warned the rise in cases of the highly transmissible variant of concern could risk the next stage of England’s road map out of lockdown, currently pencilled in for June 21, being delayed.
If outbreaks are limited, ministers could opt instead to push ahead with the reopening while keeping some areas under restrictions in an echo of the controversial tiers system introduced in 2020.
The PM said the “wall of defences” built up by the vaccination programme meant “I don’t see anything conclusive at the moment to say that we need to deviate from the road map”. But he added: “We’ve got to be cautious and we are keeping everything under very close observation.”
Mr Johnson said data from hotspots including Bolton, Blackburn, Bedford and Sefton were being examined to find out more. Asked if local lockdowns could be used, he said: “We’ve just got to be cautious about the way we approach it and we will be letting people know as much as we can, as soon as we can.”
Earlier, Cabinet minister George Eustice had said local lockdowns “would be an option and we cannot rule anything out”.
Environment Secretary Mr Eustice told Sky News efforts were being stepped up to increase vaccine uptake, particularly among minority groups. He said that in “pockets where uptake is low” efforts were being made with “community leaders, faith leaders in some of those BAME (black and minority ethnic) communities to really encourage people to come forward”.
But a Bedford MP has said a lack of vaccines in his area means not everyone who is eligible has been able to access a jab.
Labour’s Mohammad Yasin said constituents aged 37 to 39 in his area, which has seen one of the most marked increases in Covid-19 cases linked to the Indian variant, have not been able to access vaccines without travelling “large distances”.
The possible return of tiered restrictions would be fiercely resisted, particularly in areas of north-west England which have endured longer lockdowns than most other parts of the country.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the focus should instead be on accelerating the vaccine programme in virus hotspots.
He said: “Last year, tiers did not work – they did not stop the spread of the virus.
“Government should listen to its own MPS, to what I am saying, and allow the vaccination programme to proceed much more quickly in Bolton, Blackburn and other places that have the spread of this variant.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan told the PA news agency: “I think what we learned from last year is local lockdowns, the tiering system, just didn’t work, it failed.
“It failed because the virus doesn’t respect geographical boundaries.”