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UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson leads final daily briefing as social distancing rules eased in England UK coronavirus live: Chris Whitty warns of second spike if people ignore new rules in final daily briefing
(32 minutes later)
No 10 scraps daily press conference after today; 2m rule stays in Scotland and Wales; UK death toll rises by 171No 10 scraps daily press conference after today; 2m rule stays in Scotland and Wales; UK death toll rises by 171
The National Gallery is expected to become the first of England’s big museums and galleries to reopen, our colleague Mark Brown reports.
The Muslim Council of Britain has urged communities to “take all practical precautions” before returning to mosques, despite the announcement covering the reopening of places of worship in England.
Secretary general Harun Khan said the MCB had produced a nine-step guide to reopening mosques safely.
Khan pointed to Office for National Statistics data from last week which revealed Muslim communities have been “hit hardest” by the Covid-19 pandemic. He said that with “the risk of a second wave ever-present” it was “imperative that the preservation of life is at the forefront of the minds of mosque leaders and Muslim community members in the coming weeks”.
Former chief scientific adviser to the government Sir David King has been speaking to the BBC, saying that easing the two-metre rule in indoor venues could put people at “much greater risk” of catching coronavirus.
King, who chairs the Independent Sage group of scientists, told BBC News:
Wrapping up, Johnson says our understanding of the virus has changed - and our ability to fight it.
He says test and trace can be a real game-changer.
The virus is the same, and just as dangerous. But we are better at dealing with it. That should be giving people more confidence, he says.
He ends with the slogan: stay alert, follow the guidance and save lives, he says.
And that’s it. The press conference is over.
Q: Your new son will never have to face the inequalities facing other children that have been exacerbated by this crisis. What are you doing to help those children?
Johnson says he understands the problem. He wants to get more children back into school. That is about social justice, he says.
He says there are parts of the country that need more investment in schools and rural broadband.
And he says he wants to see more one-to-one tutoring.
Q: Can people go on foreign holidays if they are willing to observe quarantine?
Johnson says the current advice says people should not go abroad unnecessarily. But that is being reviewed.
And Britain is a fantastic country to visit, he says.
Q: Are you confident that the test and trace system is working properly?
Whitty says test and trace is already making a contribution. But he is concerned that people with symptoms are not getting tested. And he wants people to engage seriously with it.
He says it is improving every day and will get better over the summer.
Q: [From Macer Hall from the Daily Express] How long will it be before we see the back of hand sanitisers?
Vallance says he cannot put a time on this. Either it will go away, which he does not think is likely, or there will be therapeutics. We are on the way with that, he says. And vaccines are being explored.
He says he is “optimistic” that some of these measures will work.
Whitty says he would be “surprised and delighted” if we were not still going through this in the winter and the spring.
But he says he is very confident that, in the long term, science can beat infectious diseases.
Q: [To the PM] What are you most looking forward to?
Johnson says he would like to go to the theatre, to the Globe in London. He would like to go to a restaurant. He would like to get his hair cut.
This is as far as we can go for now, he says.
But he says today’s package is not the summit of his ambition.
He says people must not overdo it.
Vallance says the package of measures is reasonable.Vallance says the package of measures is reasonable.
If there are outbreaks, you need to address them, he says.If there are outbreaks, you need to address them, he says.
Measuring and monitoring will become an important part of this, he says.Measuring and monitoring will become an important part of this, he says.
Johnson says he can’t wait to go to a pub or restaurants. He wants to see people going out, “bustle and activity”.Johnson says he can’t wait to go to a pub or restaurants. He wants to see people going out, “bustle and activity”.
But he also wants to see people staying alert and following the guidance.But he also wants to see people staying alert and following the guidance.
Q: [From Sky’s Sam Coates] Why are the devolved administrations not following you? Are they just glumbuckets? Or are not convinced by the science?Q: [From Sky’s Sam Coates] Why are the devolved administrations not following you? Are they just glumbuckets? Or are not convinced by the science?
Johnson claims he has been even-handed in how he has set this out. He has stressed the need to be cautious, he says. He has emphasised the mitigations.Johnson claims he has been even-handed in how he has set this out. He has stressed the need to be cautious, he says. He has emphasised the mitigations.
All four chief medical officers agreed the change in the alert level from four to three, he says.All four chief medical officers agreed the change in the alert level from four to three, he says.
He says there is far more “harmony” between the four nations than people assume.He says there is far more “harmony” between the four nations than people assume.
Q: [To Whitty and Vallance] Do you support the whole package? Did Sage fully approve the whole package of changes?Q: [To Whitty and Vallance] Do you support the whole package? Did Sage fully approve the whole package of changes?
Vallance says two metres is safer than one metre if it is unmitigated.Vallance says two metres is safer than one metre if it is unmitigated.
But, if you add mitigations, one metre can be equivalent risk to two metres, he says.But, if you add mitigations, one metre can be equivalent risk to two metres, he says.
He says Sage is not a decision-making bodies. It gives advice to all four nations.He says Sage is not a decision-making bodies. It gives advice to all four nations.
Whitty says, if people do not take the mitigation seriously, if they just hear a distorted version of the advice, “yes, we will get an uptick for sure”.Whitty says, if people do not take the mitigation seriously, if they just hear a distorted version of the advice, “yes, we will get an uptick for sure”.
As for whether he is comfortable, he says this is a balance of risk. It is a reasonable balance of risk. But it is not risk-free, he says.As for whether he is comfortable, he says this is a balance of risk. It is a reasonable balance of risk. But it is not risk-free, he says.
He says it is the job of advisers to give advice.He says it is the job of advisers to give advice.
And he says he has worked in lockstep with his fellow chief medical officers. It is perfectly reasonable for different nations to take different approaches, he says.And he says he has worked in lockstep with his fellow chief medical officers. It is perfectly reasonable for different nations to take different approaches, he says.
But he says it would be wrong not to accept that there is a “shared underpinning” to what is happening.But he says it would be wrong not to accept that there is a “shared underpinning” to what is happening.
Johnson says this package should be positive for business, because it combines reopening with caution.Johnson says this package should be positive for business, because it combines reopening with caution.
Whitty says we will be living with this virus for a very long time.Whitty says we will be living with this virus for a very long time.
In the winter measures might have to be reintroduced, he says.In the winter measures might have to be reintroduced, he says.
But, over time, the medicine available may change. And our understanding of what counter-measures work may change, he says.But, over time, the medicine available may change. And our understanding of what counter-measures work may change, he says.
“It is going to be a long haul,” he says.“It is going to be a long haul,” he says.
Vallance says it is “extremely unlikely” that the virus will burn itself out and disappear.Vallance says it is “extremely unlikely” that the virus will burn itself out and disappear.
He says a vaccine might appear. You can be “moderately optimistic” that one of the many vaccine projects might work.He says a vaccine might appear. You can be “moderately optimistic” that one of the many vaccine projects might work.
And treatments may become available, he says. He says he hopes this will become a manageable disease.And treatments may become available, he says. He says he hopes this will become a manageable disease.
Q: [From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg] You are taking a risk. Will you take responsibility if it goes wrong?Q: [From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg] You are taking a risk. Will you take responsibility if it goes wrong?
Johnson says he wants to stress the need to be cautious.Johnson says he wants to stress the need to be cautious.
Yes, of course he takes responsibility for these decisions, he says.Yes, of course he takes responsibility for these decisions, he says.
Q: [To Whitty] You said the two-metre rule should stay. Have you changed your mind?Q: [To Whitty] You said the two-metre rule should stay. Have you changed your mind?
Whitty says that was an answer at one of these press conferences when he probably went further than planned. But the advice on two metres remains, he says. He says the one metre plus rule is for when two metres is not possible.Whitty says that was an answer at one of these press conferences when he probably went further than planned. But the advice on two metres remains, he says. He says the one metre plus rule is for when two metres is not possible.
Q: Why is there a problem with meat processing factories?Q: Why is there a problem with meat processing factories?
Vallance says the meat itself does not produce a risk.Vallance says the meat itself does not produce a risk.
But the environment is a difficult one. It is cold, which the virus likes. And it is loud; people might be shouting. And workers might be close together.But the environment is a difficult one. It is cold, which the virus likes. And it is loud; people might be shouting. And workers might be close together.
Whitty says it is often the social environment around work that poses the risk.Whitty says it is often the social environment around work that poses the risk.
The first question is from Suzanne, a member of the public. When will GPs and dental services get back to normal?
Johnson says dental services resumed two weeks ago.
Whitty says GPs have been working through the crisis. They have changed the way they work. Many of those changes will make sense for the longer term.
On dentists, he says their work is particularly high risk, because dental work generates a lot of droplets.
He says they have found a way of working in this phase, which will go on for “really quite a prolonged period”.
Johnson says, before taking questions, that the government is winding down these press conferences.
That is because, as they control the virus, they have less to say.
All the information in the slides will still be published, he says.
Whitty says “we have to live alongside this virus for the foreseeable future”.
No decisions are without risks, he says. He says all countries are having to look at how they manage risk.
He says people must get a test and self-isolate if they develop symptoms.
He says people should do things that make it harder for the virus to be passed on, such as washing hands and wearing face coverings.
He says a lot of the changes made today relate to the risks of the virus being passed from one household to another. The moves are designed to ensure that people can be together in a safer way.
He says shielding can protect the very vulnerable.
And scientists are looking for cures and treatments. This will be important too.
He ends by saying it is critical that people take these measures seriously.
Vallance says the disease is declining in the UK.
But it is spreading around the world, he says.
Vallance says the latest R number for the UK is between 0.7 and 0.9.
He presents a slide with the latest estimate from the ONS as to the level of infection. It is flattening off, not disappearing entirely, he says.
Johnson says he had a plan and he stuck to it.
He has asked a huge amount of people, he says. They responded with good humour and common sense.
The fight is far from over, he says. He says there will be local outbreaks. And if the government runs out of control, he will put on the handbrake and reverse some of these moves, either locally or nationally.
He says the public could be trusted to beat this back with common sense.
But some premises, like nightclubs, swimming pools and indoor gyms, have to remain closed, Johnson says.
He says guidelines will be produced to enable them to open in a Covid secure way later.
He says two households will be allowed to meet. They can stay overnight. But people should maintain social distancing, he says.
He says this will require people to act responsibly. But he is sure they will do this. The police will still be able to break up large gatherings, he says. But he says the police do not want to have to do this, and people do not want them to be doing this either, he says.
Johnson is now running through the list of places in England that will be allowed to open from 4 July.
See 4.14pm for a full list.
Johnson says he is now in a position to change the guidance.
He says the two-metre rule kept us safe when the disease was prevalent. Now we can move to one metre plus, he says. He says that means people should stay one metre apart, and use mitigations such as screens and masks.
He says guidance is being issued to businesses to allow them to take the steps that is right for them.
Here are the slides relating to the five tests presented by Johnson.