Dr Indy Kapila, intensive care consultant in Manchester, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he believed stricter restrictions than those developed by the Government are now needed to prevent the further spreading of coronavirus. He said: “There is no doubt that we need restrictions in place to slow down the spread of infection and to slow down the number of patients coming into hospital and intensive care.
“The BMA has called for a national prevention strategy, which means trying to reduce the number of people that meet.
“The rule of six being replaced by the rule of two.
“Mandatory wearing of face masks, increasing the type of face masks that are supplied to vulnerable people.
“Medical greater masks for the vulnerable and the over-60s.
“Better test and trace facilities.
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“If those things are put in place, it might slow down the spread of infection.”
Around 6 million people in the United Kingdom face tougher COVID-19 lockdowns in coming days as Wales and Manchester, the country’s third largest city, mull additional restrictions as the novel coronavirus outbreak accelerates.
The United Kingdom recorded 16,982 new daily cases of COVID-19 in the space of 24 hours, according to government data issued on Sunday, up from 16,717 the previous day.
After a public row with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who accused Johnson of attempting to sacrifice the north of England to save jobs in the south, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said a lockdown could be imposed within days.
Asked if he had offered Manchester a bigger financial settlement, Mr Jenrick said: “I have offered, in discussions that we have had, a range of different things that local leaders would like.
“Whether that’s greater control over local tracing, whether it is use of the armed forces, whether it is more resources for local councils.
“We want to put together a package of measures that will actually work.”
