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| UK coronavirus live news: Raab hints at lockdown extension as Boris Johnson remains 'stable' in intensive care | UK coronavirus live news: Raab hints at lockdown extension as Boris Johnson remains 'stable' in intensive care |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow the latest developments in the UK’s Covid-19 crisis as hospital death toll rises by 786 to 6,159 | Follow the latest developments in the UK’s Covid-19 crisis as hospital death toll rises by 786 to 6,159 |
| There are now confirmed cases of Covid-19 in more than a third of prisons in England and Wales, according to a daily update from the Ministry of Justice. | |
| As of 5pm on Monday, 116 prisoners had tested positive for Covid-19 across 43 prisons, up from 107 prisoners across 38 prisons at the same time on Sunday. There are 83,000 prisoners in England and Wales in 117 prisons. | |
| The number of prison staff who have tested positive remained at 19 across 12 prisons in the period, while the number of infected prisoner escort and custody services (Pecs) staff remained at four. | |
| With the negotiations over the UK’s future relationship with the EU in flux due to the coronavirus pandemic, David Frost, the British chief negotiator has said he will hold talks by video-conference call with his counterpart, Michel Barnier, next week. Frost tweeted: | |
| There was only one round of face-to-face talks ahead of the lockdowns on either side of the Channel. The other scheduled rounds in Brussels and London were abandoned soon after. | |
| The EU has published a draft treaty on the future relationship. The UK has provided some legal text to the commission on its vision of the trade relationship but is yet to publish any papers. | |
| Dominic Raab did not have anything much to announce in that press conference, and it seemed as if the message he was most keen to deliver was his personal message of support for Boris Johnson. (See 5.05pm.) It is always advisable to show strong support for the boss, even if you don’t particularly mean it, but in this case it seemed very obvious that Raab did. Johnson’s illness has clearly shocked his colleagues, and their concern for him is genuine. | |
| Beyond that, what was probably most interesting was what Raab had to say about the prospect of the lockdown measures being relaxed. When Johnson announced the lockdown 15 days ago, he said: | |
| The three-week deadline comes up on Monday. But when Raab was asked about the prospect of the restrictions being lifted in any way next week, he very much played down the idea. He said: | |
| And in another answer, Raab said: | |
| As usual at these press conferences, Prof Chris Whitty was more explicit. Talking about when some of the restrictions might be relaxed, he said: | |
| Q: A letter from GPs to Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, suggests some people who should be shielded are not being shielded. What will you do about that? | Q: A letter from GPs to Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, suggests some people who should be shielded are not being shielded. What will you do about that? |
| Whitty says there are three categories for shielding: what everyone should do; what people who are over 70 and otherwise vulnerable should do; and what a group of 1.5 million people who are especially vulnerable because of health conditions need to do. He says the government will want to protect people in this third group for quite a long period of time. | Whitty says there are three categories for shielding: what everyone should do; what people who are over 70 and otherwise vulnerable should do; and what a group of 1.5 million people who are especially vulnerable because of health conditions need to do. He says the government will want to protect people in this third group for quite a long period of time. |
| He says some people in the group of 1.5 million will have decided that they do not wish to be part of this. Some of these people might have a terminal illness and have made a rational decision not be to be shielded. | He says some people in the group of 1.5 million will have decided that they do not wish to be part of this. Some of these people might have a terminal illness and have made a rational decision not be to be shielded. |
| Q: Are you promising that you will carry out 100,000 daily antigen tests by the end of the month? If you do not meet that, will someone carry the can? | Q: Are you promising that you will carry out 100,000 daily antigen tests by the end of the month? If you do not meet that, will someone carry the can? |
| Raab says the health secretary, Matt Hancock, has been very clear what the target is. | Raab says the health secretary, Matt Hancock, has been very clear what the target is. |
| Q: So are you promising that 100,000 antigen tests can be carried out by the end of the month? | Q: So are you promising that 100,000 antigen tests can be carried out by the end of the month? |
| Raab says he will not go beyond what the health secretary has said. The government is going to strain every sinew to get these tests done, he says. This target still stands, he says. | Raab says he will not go beyond what the health secretary has said. The government is going to strain every sinew to get these tests done, he says. This target still stands, he says. |
| And that’s it. The press conference is over. | And that’s it. The press conference is over. |
| I will post a summary soon. | I will post a summary soon. |
| Whitty says care homes and nursing homes will present some of the biggest challenges. He says he expects the number of deaths in these places to go up. | Whitty says care homes and nursing homes will present some of the biggest challenges. He says he expects the number of deaths in these places to go up. |
| Vallance says the UK is publishing data for hospital deaths because that is how many other countries are presenting their data. | Vallance says the UK is publishing data for hospital deaths because that is how many other countries are presenting their data. |
| Q: Will there be a three-week review of the lockdown? Or will it wait until the PM is out of hospital? And there was modelling published on Friday suggesting this lockdown could go on for months. Will you level with people and admit that? | Q: Will there be a three-week review of the lockdown? Or will it wait until the PM is out of hospital? And there was modelling published on Friday suggesting this lockdown could go on for months. Will you level with people and admit that? |
| Raab says he thinks the government has levelled with people. It needs to look at the data, showing how these measures have worked, before deciding what do to next. | Raab says he thinks the government has levelled with people. It needs to look at the data, showing how these measures have worked, before deciding what do to next. |
| Whitty says it is essential to get beyond the peak first. At that point they can decide what combination of measures might stay in place. He says there are disadvantages to keeping the lockdown in place too long. | Whitty says it is essential to get beyond the peak first. At that point they can decide what combination of measures might stay in place. He says there are disadvantages to keeping the lockdown in place too long. |
| Q: Has the PM given you any indication of when the lockdown might be relaxed? Other countries have levelled with the public? | Q: Has the PM given you any indication of when the lockdown might be relaxed? Other countries have levelled with the public? |
| Raab says we are not at that point yet. They remain focused on conveying the key message, which is that everyone should comply with the guidance. | Raab says we are not at that point yet. They remain focused on conveying the key message, which is that everyone should comply with the guidance. |
| He says the guidance is helping. The worst thing would be to “take our foot off the pedal”. It is critical that people keep up this discipline. | He says the guidance is helping. The worst thing would be to “take our foot off the pedal”. It is critical that people keep up this discipline. |
| Q: So this lockdown is going to have to stay for a few more weeks at least? | Q: So this lockdown is going to have to stay for a few more weeks at least? |
| Raab says he does not accept that. He says they have been guided by the data. Once they get reliable data on the impact these measures have had, they will be able to take decisions. | Raab says he does not accept that. He says they have been guided by the data. Once they get reliable data on the impact these measures have had, they will be able to take decisions. |
| Q: What could we have done differently? | Q: What could we have done differently? |
| Vallance says this is a pandemic. It is applying everwhere. We are three or four weeks behind Italy. Keeping the numbers below ICU capacity is critical. It is essential to keep this suppressed, he says. | Vallance says this is a pandemic. It is applying everwhere. We are three or four weeks behind Italy. Keeping the numbers below ICU capacity is critical. It is essential to keep this suppressed, he says. |
| Q: How could it be that three people in charge of telling the country not to catch this virus caught it? | Q: How could it be that three people in charge of telling the country not to catch this virus caught it? |
| Because it is very indiscriminate, says Raab. | Because it is very indiscriminate, says Raab. |
| Q: If you needed to change direction, do you have the authority to do that? | Q: If you needed to change direction, do you have the authority to do that? |
| Raab says he has been asked to deputise for the PM for as long as necessary. The normal cabinet collective responsibility will apply. | Raab says he has been asked to deputise for the PM for as long as necessary. The normal cabinet collective responsibility will apply. |
| Q: Would you have the confidence to change course if you could not get the PM’s approval? | Q: Would you have the confidence to change course if you could not get the PM’s approval? |
| Raab says he has total confidence in the arrangements put in place. | Raab says he has total confidence in the arrangements put in place. |
| Q: The increase in deaths in Germany is much slower than in other EU countries. What can we learn from them? | Q: The increase in deaths in Germany is much slower than in other EU countries. What can we learn from them? |
| Vallance says he does not have a clear answer to that. Two factors apply: the virus and the society it hits. He suggests Germany might be different. | Vallance says he does not have a clear answer to that. Two factors apply: the virus and the society it hits. He suggests Germany might be different. |
| Whitty says Germany got ahead in terms of testing. There are lessons to be learned from that. | Whitty says Germany got ahead in terms of testing. There are lessons to be learned from that. |
| They are now taking questions. | They are now taking questions. |
| Q: Who will take decisions if there is a disagreement in cabinet? | Q: Who will take decisions if there is a disagreement in cabinet? |
| Raab says they try to take decisions collectively. | Raab says they try to take decisions collectively. |
| He says the PM has given them very clear plans. | He says the PM has given them very clear plans. |
| Q: Will there be enough intensive care beds? | Q: Will there be enough intensive care beds? |
| Vallance says there are always times in winter when the number of beds is under pressure. But he says the supply is moving in the right direction. | Vallance says there are always times in winter when the number of beds is under pressure. But he says the supply is moving in the right direction. |
| Vallance says the capacity of intensive care beds is increasing. | Vallance says the capacity of intensive care beds is increasing. |
| And he says the death figures should start to come down in the next two or three weeks. | And he says the death figures should start to come down in the next two or three weeks. |
| Vallance is speaking now. | Vallance is speaking now. |
| He presents various slides. The first shows transport use declining dramatically. He says that has led to the number of new cases growing at a much smaller rate than initially. | He presents various slides. The first shows transport use declining dramatically. He says that has led to the number of new cases growing at a much smaller rate than initially. |
| He shows a graph showing the number of hospital admissions. There has been a steady increase, but not an “accelerated take-off”. | He shows a graph showing the number of hospital admissions. There has been a steady increase, but not an “accelerated take-off”. |
| He says it is possible there might be the beginnings of a change. It is too soon to be sure, but he says it might be the start of a shift. | He says it is possible there might be the beginnings of a change. It is too soon to be sure, but he says it might be the start of a shift. |
| He also says there are 9,100 patients taking part in clinical trials. | He also says there are 9,100 patients taking part in clinical trials. |
| Raab delivers the latest figures for coronavirus testing. | Raab delivers the latest figures for coronavirus testing. |
| Raab says the PM’s illness has been a shock to those in cabinet. He is not just their boss; he’s a colleague and friend. Raab goes on: | Raab says the PM’s illness has been a shock to those in cabinet. He is not just their boss; he’s a colleague and friend. Raab goes on: |
| Raab starts with an update on the PM. | Raab starts with an update on the PM. |
| He says the PM remained stable overnight and is getting standard oxygen treatment. He does not require an invasive respiratory support. | He says the PM remained stable overnight and is getting standard oxygen treatment. He does not require an invasive respiratory support. |
| His condition is being monitored closely and further updates will be issued, he says. | His condition is being monitored closely and further updates will be issued, he says. |
| Raab’s wording is almost exactly the same as the wording used by No 10 in the lobby briefing earlier. (See 12.51pm.) | Raab’s wording is almost exactly the same as the wording used by No 10 in the lobby briefing earlier. (See 12.51pm.) |
| Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state, who is deputising for Boris Johnson while Johnson is in hospital, is starting the government’s daily press conference now. He is appearing with Prof Chris Whitty, the government’s chief medical adviser, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser. | Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state, who is deputising for Boris Johnson while Johnson is in hospital, is starting the government’s daily press conference now. He is appearing with Prof Chris Whitty, the government’s chief medical adviser, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser. |
| Police in North Yorkshire have increased patrols in Harrogate amid reports of reports of people having picnics, residents drinking in the streets, groups congregating in the town centre and people meeting to go for walks in the spa town.Harrogate’s neighbourhood policing inspector, Penny Taylor, of North Yorkshire police, said: | Police in North Yorkshire have increased patrols in Harrogate amid reports of reports of people having picnics, residents drinking in the streets, groups congregating in the town centre and people meeting to go for walks in the spa town.Harrogate’s neighbourhood policing inspector, Penny Taylor, of North Yorkshire police, said: |