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| UK coronavirus live: Gove reveals testing way below 100,000 daily target | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Cabinet Office minister says Boris Johnson will say more this week about how people will be allowed to go back to work | Cabinet Office minister says Boris Johnson will say more this week about how people will be allowed to go back to work |
| Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer at University of Exeter Medical School, on the tracing app. | |
| Gove was also challenged about the role of Trevor Phillips in the inquiry over BAME patients, which has been the subject of controversy for his previous remarks about Muslims and his suspension from Labour. | |
| He said Phillips, when he was chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Committee, was always “driven by the data”. | |
| Gove described Phillips as a “distinguished” public servant. | |
| The daily press briefing from Downing Street has now concluded. | |
| Gove is asked about the inquiry into the disproportionate impact of coronavirus on BAME people. | |
| He replies there “appears to be a significant number of deaths” in the BAME community. | |
| He added there may be a greater prevalence of conditions such as diabetes in some communities but another factor may be inequality. | |
| But he said he does not want to “prejudge” the inquiry. | |
| Prof Powis said the R -rate is around 0.7 but the figure has yet to be finalised. | |
| Gove is asked how many prisoners have been released due to the coronavirus outbreak. He replies the early release of prisons was “just one part” of reducing the number of cases in prisons in order to protect the NHS. Gove says pregnant women were at the front of the queue for release. He added at least 33 people had been released but the number is higher now. | |
| When asked about his confidence in models predicting what may happen with any change in lockdown rules, Prof Powis said “the reality will always be different from the model, it will not exactly replicate the model” and “there are some unknowns”. | |
| He said the public had been “really excellent at complying” with the rules, and thus far trends have tended to follow the models produced. | |
| He added: “It’s followed it pretty much in the shape of what we’ve seen so that does give me some confidence that going forward models are a reasonable way of predicting what we might see. | |
| “They do predict that over the next month or so we will continue to see a decline in the number of patients in hospital with Covid-19, the number of people in critical care and indeed the number of deaths.” | |
| He added: “They will never be an absolute perfect prediction of reality but I have confidence that going forward they will give us a very good guide of what we are likely to see.” | |
| Prof Powis has insisted the new NHS Nightingale hospitals were “absolutely 100% not” built in error after reported emerged of a low capacity of patients. He said it would have been “foolish” not to plan for extra capacity in the NHS, and it is “good news” that the Nightingales’ capacity has not been reached. Prof Powis says there is still a possibility they could yet be needed. He suggests the peak of the virus in the UK was around mid-April. | Prof Powis has insisted the new NHS Nightingale hospitals were “absolutely 100% not” built in error after reported emerged of a low capacity of patients. He said it would have been “foolish” not to plan for extra capacity in the NHS, and it is “good news” that the Nightingales’ capacity has not been reached. Prof Powis says there is still a possibility they could yet be needed. He suggests the peak of the virus in the UK was around mid-April. |
| Gove says the government plans a “staged” return with ministers working with employers and unions to help workers understand safety guidance and public servants will be offered protective equipment varying “from setting to setting”. He also says it is possible restrictions could be reimposed in a “localised way” but does not go into the specifics. | Gove says the government plans a “staged” return with ministers working with employers and unions to help workers understand safety guidance and public servants will be offered protective equipment varying “from setting to setting”. He also says it is possible restrictions could be reimposed in a “localised way” but does not go into the specifics. |
| Gove praised health secretary Matt Hancock’s “amazing success in increasing testing”, which he said means the public will have “greater confidence” in the government as they move into the next phase of lockdown. | Gove praised health secretary Matt Hancock’s “amazing success in increasing testing”, which he said means the public will have “greater confidence” in the government as they move into the next phase of lockdown. |
| “The British public have shown amazing stoicism and understanding of the need for the lockdown measures,” he said. | “The British public have shown amazing stoicism and understanding of the need for the lockdown measures,” he said. |
| “Quite rightly they want to make sure that if and when they are eased, they’re eased in way that makes sure the British people’s sacrifice has been worthwhile, and that we continue to operate in a way that means public health comes first. | “Quite rightly they want to make sure that if and when they are eased, they’re eased in way that makes sure the British people’s sacrifice has been worthwhile, and that we continue to operate in a way that means public health comes first. |
| “And that’s why it’s so important that we consult with employers and trade unions, to make sure that people understand the guidance about working safely.” | “And that’s why it’s so important that we consult with employers and trade unions, to make sure that people understand the guidance about working safely.” |
| He said the government will pursue a “phased approach” to removing lockdown restrictions rather than a sudden return to “the old normal”. | He said the government will pursue a “phased approach” to removing lockdown restrictions rather than a sudden return to “the old normal”. |
| The phrase a “new normal” has again been used. | The phrase a “new normal” has again been used. |
| Gove says there will be a time when the virus is under control when “deep and probing questions” about the government’s handling of the crisis can be posed. | Gove says there will be a time when the virus is under control when “deep and probing questions” about the government’s handling of the crisis can be posed. |
| “Undoubtedly this government, like all governments, will have made mistakes,” he admitted. | “Undoubtedly this government, like all governments, will have made mistakes,” he admitted. |
| Further bemused reaction to those daily testing numbers falling below the 100,000 target. | Further bemused reaction to those daily testing numbers falling below the 100,000 target. |
| Professor Stephen Powis has praised the resilience and professionalism of NHS staff. | Professor Stephen Powis has praised the resilience and professionalism of NHS staff. |
| He said: “What I learned is that the NHS and the great staff of the NHS, when given that challenge, can very, very rapidly put in place the extra capacity that is required. | He said: “What I learned is that the NHS and the great staff of the NHS, when given that challenge, can very, very rapidly put in place the extra capacity that is required. |
| “And they have done that magnificently, and at no point during the surge of cases in April was the NHS in a position where it was not able to give the treatment to patients with Covid-19 that they needed. | “And they have done that magnificently, and at no point during the surge of cases in April was the NHS in a position where it was not able to give the treatment to patients with Covid-19 that they needed. |
| “That is a great testament to how well the NHS has been able to cope. | “That is a great testament to how well the NHS has been able to cope. |
| “And I think then the lesson going forward is one, that we can do that, but two, we need to keep that capacity in place. | “And I think then the lesson going forward is one, that we can do that, but two, we need to keep that capacity in place. |
| “But we need to keep it in place at the same time as standing up all the other services that the NHS is providing. | “But we need to keep it in place at the same time as standing up all the other services that the NHS is providing. |
| “They’re the ones we’ve always provided, the emergency services, but some of the services that we’ve had to stand down during April, so elective surgery for instance. | “They’re the ones we’ve always provided, the emergency services, but some of the services that we’ve had to stand down during April, so elective surgery for instance. |
| “So my lesson is that the NHS is incredibly flexible. It can respond to this challenge, and it will respond to the challenge going forward into the months ahead.” | “So my lesson is that the NHS is incredibly flexible. It can respond to this challenge, and it will respond to the challenge going forward into the months ahead.” |
| Gove says there are around 80,000 households on the Isle of Wight, where the NHS contact-tracing app is being trialled, and they want more than half of them to download it. | Gove says there are around 80,000 households on the Isle of Wight, where the NHS contact-tracing app is being trialled, and they want more than half of them to download it. |
| He added the dip in the number of coronavirus tests over the weekend is due to the fact it is the weekend and fewer people are at work. | He added the dip in the number of coronavirus tests over the weekend is due to the fact it is the weekend and fewer people are at work. |
| More from Gove on what lessons have been learned for future waves of the virus and how the government will ensure there are enough PPE and ventilators in the future. | More from Gove on what lessons have been learned for future waves of the virus and how the government will ensure there are enough PPE and ventilators in the future. |
| He said: “We’re learning lessons all the time, as indeed the world is. | He said: “We’re learning lessons all the time, as indeed the world is. |
| “This is a new virus and scientists are working internationally to determine what the best means is of dealing with it. | “This is a new virus and scientists are working internationally to determine what the best means is of dealing with it. |
| “And that’s why we are piloting treatments which can prevent the virus, once people have been infected, becoming more dangerous for them. | “And that’s why we are piloting treatments which can prevent the virus, once people have been infected, becoming more dangerous for them. |
| “It’s also why we’re working internationally to seek to secure a vaccine, though of course we expect that may be some time away. | “It’s also why we’re working internationally to seek to secure a vaccine, though of course we expect that may be some time away. |
| “But one of the things that we have learned is how to improve our testing capacity. | “But one of the things that we have learned is how to improve our testing capacity. |
| “We also now have increased domestic ventilator production and Lord Deighton is increasing domestic PPE production as well. | “We also now have increased domestic ventilator production and Lord Deighton is increasing domestic PPE production as well. |
| “And I think the lessons that we’re learning in the UK are similar to the lessons that other countries are learning as well.” | “And I think the lessons that we’re learning in the UK are similar to the lessons that other countries are learning as well.” |