UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson
LONDON, April 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UK is at the moment of maximum risk in the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, as he urged people not to lose patience with the lockdown.
Speaking outside No 10 for the first time since recovering from the virus, Johnson said “we are now beginning to turn the tide” on the disease.
But he said he refused to “throw away” the public’s “effort and sacrifice” and relax the lockdown too soon.
More details on any changes will be given in the “coming days”, he added.
On Tuesday April 28 at 11:00 BST, a minute’s silence will be held to commemorate key workers who have died with the virus. Johnson and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have both invited the country to take part.
The latest government figures brought the total number of people who have died with the virus in UK hospitals to 20,732, after a further 413 were announced on Sunday.
Figures released separately on Monday – which differ slightly from the government’s daily figures because of the timeframe they cover – show a further 329 people have died in England, 13 in Scotland and eight in Wales.
The PM returned to Downing Street on Sunday after more than three weeks off sick.
In the speech on Monday morning, Johnson said he understood concerns from business owners who were impatient to end the lockdown.
But ending it too soon could lead to a second spike in cases and cause more deaths, “economic disaster” and restrictions being reintroduced, he said.
“I ask you to contain your impatience,” Johnson added.
He said there were “real signs now that we are passing through the peak” – including with fewer hospital admissions and fewer Covid-19 patients in intensive care.
Johnson said the UK has “so far collectively shielded our NHS” and “flattened the peak” – but he could not yet say when or which restrictions would be lifted to ease lockdown.
Speaking at the Scottish government’s daily briefing, Sturgeon said it was “not the time to throw caution to the wind” and lift lockdown measures – although there had been “real signs of progress”. — NNN-AGENCIES
