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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 people in the UK should not expect "a sudden fall away of cases" after the peak. 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."