This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52389285
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus: Easing social distancing rules 'risks second peak' | Coronavirus: Easing social distancing rules 'risks second peak' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Easing social distancing measures in the UK too soon would risk a second spike of coronavirus cases, the foreign secretary has warned. | Easing social distancing measures in the UK too soon would risk a second spike of coronavirus cases, the foreign secretary has warned. |
| Dominic Raab told the daily press briefing this could trigger a second lockdown that would "prolong the economic pain" across the country. | Dominic Raab told the daily press briefing this could trigger a second lockdown that would "prolong the economic pain" across the country. |
| "We're not out of the woods," he said. | "We're not out of the woods," he said. |
| Meanwhile, the UK's chief medical officer said it was "wholly unrealistic" to think life could return to normal soon. | |
| Mr Raab, who is deputising for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, acknowledged the mental, physical and economic strain social distancing measures were having on people throughout the UK. | |
| But he said that the measures "must remain in place for the time being". | |
| Mr Raab said: "The greatest risk for us now, if we eased up on our social distancing rules too soon, is that we would risk a second spike in the virus with all the threats to life that would bring and then the risk of a second lockdown which would prolong the economic pain we are all going through." | |
| His warning came as Professor Chris Whitty, the government's chief medical adviser, said forms of social distancing would be needed for a "long time". | |
| He said it was "a wholly unrealistic expectation" that the UK suddenly moved from lockdown to everything being lifted. | |
| "We are going to have to do a lot of things for really quite a long period of time." | |
| Prof Whitty added that the best "way out" was via a "highly effective" vaccine or drugs, but said the chance of having those within the next calendar year was "incredibly small". | |
| He said: "This disease is not going to be eradicated, it is not going to disappear." |