Johnson unveils task force plan to contain feared third wave of coronavirus

BORIS Johnson has launched a new drive to identify simple treatments for coronavirus, amid warnings that a third wave of cases could hit the UK.

The Prime Minister insisted the “path to freedom” remained open, with nothing in the figures to suggest a deviation from the road map out of lockdown.

For the first time since September the latest figures showed fewer than 2,000 Covid-19 patients in hospital in the UK.

But as he launched a new taskforce to identify antiviral treatments, Mr Johnson acknowledged soaring cases overseas and warnings from scientists that there will be another wave this year.

At a Downing Street press conference yesterday he said: “As we look at what is happening in other countries, with cases now at record numbers around the world, we cannot delude ourselves that Covid has gone away.

“I see nothing in the data now that makes me think we are going to have to deviate in any way from the road map – cautious but irreversible – that we have set out.

“But the majority of scientific opinion in this country is still firmly of the view that there will be another wave of Covid at some stage this year.

“And so we must, as far as possible, learn to live with this disease as we live with other diseases.”

Mr Johnson suggested that antivirals could be a third method of defence, along with vaccinations – including booster shots – and mass testing.

The antiviral taskforce will seek out new medicines to “stop the virus in its tracks”, hopefully producing simple treatments that can be taken at home.

It is hoped that antivirals could help to reduce infections and limit the impact of any new variants.

They may also help to protect people who cannot take vaccines or those who are not fully protected after having the jab.

Officials hope to find and bring two treatments online this year.

In an effort to avoid the kind of international disputes that have marked the deployment of vaccines, the taskforce will also look at opportunities to make antiviral drugs in the UK.

Mr Johnson said he hoped the move would help give “ever greater confidence to the people of this country that we continue on our path towards freedom”.

Mr Johnson was questioned about the timing of a decision to put India on the UK Government’s travel red list.

The Prime Minister, who cancelled a planned trip to India due to the situation there, said the red listing was a “purely precautionary” step while investigations were carried out into the virus variant discovered there.

He said: “What we’re seeing in India is a result of a variant under investigation, it hasn’t yet been deemed a variant of concern.

“I think what the JBC (Joint Biosecurity Centre) has decided is on a purely precautionary basis.”