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Covid: Tighter rules 'will take time' to show results, says Johnson Covid: Tighter rules 'will take time' to show results, says Johnson
(32 minutes later)
New measures to tackle the rise in coronavirus cases "will take time to feed through", Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.New measures to tackle the rise in coronavirus cases "will take time to feed through", Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
Mr Johnson told a Downing Street briefing that the high number of daily cases and "tragic increase" in deaths "show why our plan is so essential".Mr Johnson told a Downing Street briefing that the high number of daily cases and "tragic increase" in deaths "show why our plan is so essential".
He said he would "not hesitate" to impose further restrictions if needed.He said he would "not hesitate" to impose further restrictions if needed.
"This is headed in the wrong direction," said chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance."This is headed in the wrong direction," said chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
"There's no cause for complacency here at all," he said."There's no cause for complacency here at all," he said.
It comes as the latest UK coronavirus figures showed there have been a further 7,108 cases and another 71 deaths.It comes as the latest UK coronavirus figures showed there have been a further 7,108 cases and another 71 deaths.
Mr Johnson also said the nation could face the winter "with confidence" because it is now better prepared than it was in March.Mr Johnson also said the nation could face the winter "with confidence" because it is now better prepared than it was in March.
The preparations include being on track for 500,000 tests a day by the end of October, 2,000 beds in seven Nightingale hospitals and a four-month supply of protective equipment such as masks, gowns and visors. The preparations include being on track for 500,000 tests a day by the end of October, 2,000 beds in seven Nightingale hospitals and a four-month supply of protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gowns and visors.
He said they had trebled the number of ventilators in the NHS to 31,500 in the last six months.He said they had trebled the number of ventilators in the NHS to 31,500 in the last six months.
"I want to thank everyone for the fantastic national effort that we are seeing," Mr Johnson said."I want to thank everyone for the fantastic national effort that we are seeing," Mr Johnson said.
"No matter how impatient we may be, how fed up we may become, there is only one way of doing this, and that's by showing a collective forbearance, common sense and willingness to make sacrifices for the safety of others.""No matter how impatient we may be, how fed up we may become, there is only one way of doing this, and that's by showing a collective forbearance, common sense and willingness to make sacrifices for the safety of others."
He paid particular tribute to university students, hundreds of whom have been forced to self-isolate, and are "experiencing a first term back at university unlike anything they could have imagined". 'Will the second wave be less severe?'
Mr Johnson urged people to use the NHS Test and Trace, saying it had reached 14 million downloads, and said he would resume providing regular Downing Street briefings. It is now clear the second wave is here. Infections, hospital cases and deaths are all rising.
"If we put in the work together now, then we give ourselves the best possible chance of avoiding that outcome and avoiding further measures," he said. But what happens next is the big unknown.
The doomsday scenario of a doubling of cases every week that was put forward last week is not materialising.
The increase in hospital admissions is even more gradual - and the total numbers being admitted are more than 10 times lower than they were at the peak.
It points to a slower, less severe wave this time round.
But it is still early days.
We are just at the start of the autumn and winter period when respiratory viruses circulate more.
The situation could easily unravel.
However, the UK, like other countries, is in a much stronger position than we were when we sleepwalked into the first wave.
Better treatments are in place, social distancing has become routine and - despite the problems - there is much more testing available.
The odds are certainly stacked in our favour more than they were six months ago.
Read the full analysis
Mr Johnson paid particular tribute to university students, hundreds of whom have been forced to self-isolate, and are "experiencing a first term back at university unlike anything they could have imagined".
He urged people to use the NHS Test and Trace app, saying it had reached 14 million downloads, and said he would resume providing regular Downing Street briefings.
The prime minister said it was a "critical moment" in the pandemic and warned he was prepared to take "more costly" action against the virus if necessary.
"If we put in the work together now, then we give ourselves the best possible chance of avoiding that outcome and avoiding further measures."
England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty told the briefing the number of Covid-19 patients was rising, especially in hotspots, although they remained lower than in early April.England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty told the briefing the number of Covid-19 patients was rising, especially in hotspots, although they remained lower than in early April.
"We are pointing out that the direction of travel for both hospitals and intensive care is going in the wrong direction, particularly in these areas that have seen rapid increases in cases," he said."We are pointing out that the direction of travel for both hospitals and intensive care is going in the wrong direction, particularly in these areas that have seen rapid increases in cases," he said.
"We have got a long winter ahead of us.""We have got a long winter ahead of us."
Prof Whitty said the pattern of cases was "rather different" in the second wave, with a "heavy concentration" of infections in areas such as the the Midlands, as well north-east and north-west England, alongside the general rise in Covid-19.
He said cases are increasing "quite rapidly" among older teenagers and under-21s, but the rate of transmission among school-age children was not changing very much.
"We don't have this under control at the moment," said Sir Patrick Vallance.
The government has faced criticism in recent days over the lack of Parliamentary scrutiny of its coronavirus measures and the complexity of the changing rules.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said there has to be a "a national effort to prevent a second lockdown".
But he said the government was not fulfilling its role of providing a "very clear strategy", instead offering "confusion".
Sir Keir said there needed to be an "urgent review" of local restrictions, as they have now been imposed in 48 areas and only lifted in one.