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| Social distancing may be needed for ‘most of year’ | Social distancing may be needed for ‘most of year’ |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Social distancing would be needed for "at least half of the year" to stop intensive care units being overwhelmed, according to official scientific advice. | Social distancing would be needed for "at least half of the year" to stop intensive care units being overwhelmed, according to official scientific advice. |
| The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) recommended alternating between more and less strict measures for most of a year. | |
| Strict measures include school closures and social distancing for everyone. | Strict measures include school closures and social distancing for everyone. |
| Less restrictive measures include isolating cases and households. | Less restrictive measures include isolating cases and households. |
| It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that the UK could "turn the tide" on the coronavirus outbreak within 12 weeks. | It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that the UK could "turn the tide" on the coronavirus outbreak within 12 weeks. |
| Schools in England, Scotland and Wales will close on Friday until further notice - except for vulnerable children and those with a parent identified as a key worker. | Schools in England, Scotland and Wales will close on Friday until further notice - except for vulnerable children and those with a parent identified as a key worker. |
| More than 65,000 retired doctors and nurses in England and Wales have been asked to return to work in the NHS to help tackle the outbreak. | More than 65,000 retired doctors and nurses in England and Wales have been asked to return to work in the NHS to help tackle the outbreak. |
| And the chancellor is set to announce a wage subsidy package to try to protect millions of jobs. | And the chancellor is set to announce a wage subsidy package to try to protect millions of jobs. |
| Documents prepared by Sage said alternating measures could "plausibly be effective at keeping the number of critical care cases within capacity". | |
| Less strict measures would also include social distancing - but just in vulnerable groups. | |
| Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's chief scientific adviser, said the evidence in the documents published on Friday has "played a considerable role in shaping our recommendations". | |
| "The UK is home to experts who are at the forefront of their chosen fields and we are making full use of their expertise to grow our understanding of Covid-19 as we work tirelessly to tackle this disease," he said. | |
| The advice also said: |