Boris Johnson called for “collective forbearance, common sense and willingness to make sacrifices” in the battle against coronavirus, warning that tougher measures could be introduced if the evidence showed they were needed. England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has warned that there is a significant uptick in the number of people entering intensive care in the North East and North West of England as well as in London.
Prof Whitty said: “Looking at the intensive care rates, people who enter intensive care are at an extremely increased risk of dying.
“A graph shows in the North East and North West in particular but also in London to some extent, we are seeing a significant uptick in the number of people who are entering intensive care.
“This is not yet at a stage where it is threatening our ability to have intensive care cases.
“There is still significant capacity in the NHS system but this is definitely heading the wrong way.”
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Mr Johnson added he is confident Britain will get through the latest outbreak of the coronavirus.
He said: “I am absolutely confident that with better treatments and with the prospect of a vaccine we will get through this.
“Let’s follow the rules, wash our hands, cover our faces, observe social-distancing, download the app, and together we will fight back against this virus, protect the NHS and save more lives.”
The Prime Minister said he wanted to avoid another national lockdown.
“What we are not doing at the moment is going back to the situation we were in in March,” he said during the briefing at Downing Street.
“And, I really don’t want to do this.
“I don’t want to go back to a national lockdown where the overall guidance is stay at home, that is not what we are saying.
“We want to keep the economy moving. We want to keep young people, pupils in education.
“But the only way we can do that is if we all follow the guidance and depress the virus.”
More to follow…
