Boris Johnson spoke to the nation at 5pm on Wednesday to clarify the current strategy regarding coronavirus in England. He was joined by the Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty and the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance to help explain the finer details of the coronavirus pandemic. ITV’s Robert Peston demanded to know the reason why the North West and North East of England and Scotland saw such sharp rises in coronavirus cases.
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He said: “On March 21 there were 71 deaths – today and yesterday there were 71 deaths.
“Back in March we were two days away from full lockdown. You don’t think things are as bad or urgent in terms of remedial measures back then. What’s the difference?”
He added: “If you go back to the beginning of August and you track infections of England and Scotland they have risen massively faster in Scotland.
“Again, within England, there is a much bigger problem in the North East and the North West, in terms of rapid rise and incident.
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“Can you explain why there is this very big difference?”
Mr Johnson said: “I am going to ask Chris and Patrick to comment both on the epidemiology and localisation of the disease.
“I leave them to also talk about the difference in rate of spread of the disease between now and March 23.
“There is one point I would like to make as someone trying to get this disease down across the whole country.
Mr Peston criticised the confusing strategy from the Government earlier in the day also.
He tweeted: “Yes there will be some seeming illogicalities, but that it is inevitable in tackling a pandemic.
“Such was the PM’s explanation for the confusing national patchwork of coronavirus restrictions.
“Which is an odd link to draw for someone who benefited from an expensive education.”
