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Boris Johnson to announce five-tier coronavirus alert system Boris Johnson announces five-tier coronavirus alert system
(about 2 hours later)
System will mirror independent terror alerts, categorising threat level on scale of one to fiveSystem will mirror independent terror alerts, categorising threat level on scale of one to five
Boris Johnson is expected to announce a five-tier alert system to rank the threat from coronavirus - although experts said it was not immediately clear how independent or effective the scheme would be. Boris Johnson has announced a five-tier alert system to rank the threat from coronavirus – although experts said it was not immediately clear how independent or effective the scheme would be.
The current threat level from the pandemic will be categorised on a scale of one to five in different parts of the country, based on assessments by a new “joint biosecurity centre”. The current threat level of the pandemic will be categorised on a scale of one to five in different parts of the country, based on assessments by a new “joint biosecurity centre”.
The system is designed to mirror the independent terror alert system, which ranks the threat to the public from “low” to “critical” and helps decide what protective measures are required.The system is designed to mirror the independent terror alert system, which ranks the threat to the public from “low” to “critical” and helps decide what protective measures are required.
Terror threat levels are agreed by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which is independent of ministers but includes representatives of 16 government departments plus police and spy agencies. The prime minister said in his broadcast to the nation that the alert system would help the country “avoid going back to square one”. Alert levels, he added, would be determined by the number of cases and the “R” number, or transmission rate, of the virus.
Further details are expected to be announced over the next 24 hours, first during the prime minister’s 7pm statement and subsequently when the full lockdown easing plan is presented in detail to parliament on Monday. “In turn, that Covid alert level will tell us how touch we have to be in our social distancing measures. The lower the level, the fewer the measures. The higher the level, the tougher and stricter we will have to be,” Johnson said.
No further information, however, was immediately available as to how the alert system will reach conclusions at a time of intense focus on the relationship between ministers and government scientists – and what influence it will have over public bodies and private industry. Terror threat levels are agreed by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which is independent of ministers but includes representatives of 16 government departments plus police and intelligence agencies.
Further details are expected to be announced when the full lockdown easing plan is presented in detail to parliament on Monday.
No detailed information has yet been released on the specific criteria for setting a level of alert.
A former senior Whitehall security source said the existing terror threat level system was useful because it helped set “a reference point” to shape behaviour across Britain’s wider national security system.A former senior Whitehall security source said the existing terror threat level system was useful because it helped set “a reference point” to shape behaviour across Britain’s wider national security system.
They questioned, however, whether a biosecurity centre would be able to make its assessments independently. “Technocratic measures are being politicised, and ‘blamestorming’ and political manoeuvring seems to be the order of the day at the moment,” they said. They questioned, however, whether a biosecurity centre would be able to make its assessments independently. “Technocratic measures are being politicised, and ‘blamestorming’ and political manoeuvring seem to be the order of the day at the moment,” they said.
The UK is deemed to be at level four on the coronavirus threat scale. The prime minister is expected to tell the country on Sunday evening that the slowly falling number of deaths as a result of the pandemic means the risk is close to being reduced to level three. Johnson said the UK was currently under the second highest level of threat, but the situation was improving. “Over the period of the lockdown, we have been in level four, and thanks to your sacrifice we are now in a position to begin to move in steps to level three.”
The new system will apply only to England at first. Scotland has led criticism from the three devolved administrations of Downing Street’s decision to drop the “stay at home” slogan in favour of “stay alert”. The new system will apply only to England at first. Scotland has led criticism from the three devolved administrations of Downing Street’s decision to drop the “stay at home” slogan in favour of “stay alert”. No 10, however, said it would seek to work with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to create an integrated approach across the UK.
No 10, however, said it would seek to work with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to create an integrated approach across the UK. New Zealand adopted a four-tier coronavirus alert system in late March, in the early stages of the outbreak, so that “people can see and plan for the kinds of restrictions we may be required to put in place”, according to its government.
New Zealand adopted a four-tier coronavirus alert system in late March, at the early stages of the outbreak, so “people can see and plan for the kinds of restrictions we may be required to put in place”, according to its government. Its guidelines cover how people are expected to behave at each level, how the healthcare system should be set up, and what public facilities and businesses are allowed to remain open.
It covers how people are expected to behave at each level, how the healthcare system should be set up and what public facilities and businesses are allowed to be open.
New Zealand, which has suffered relatively mildly from coronavirus compared with the UK and others in Europe, is poised to decide on Monday whether to reduce the threat level from three to two. Any decision has to be signed off by the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, and her cabinet.New Zealand, which has suffered relatively mildly from coronavirus compared with the UK and others in Europe, is poised to decide on Monday whether to reduce the threat level from three to two. Any decision has to be signed off by the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, and her cabinet.