LONDON  18 Sep (ANA) - A two-week national lockdown in October ‘could be announced in the next week’ as coronavirus rates surge in many parts of the country. In a Government meeting held on Wednesday night, England’s top scientists suggested half-term could be a good time to shut the country down so schools could remain untouched, Financial Times claims. 

 

A separate report from the BBC claims the ‘circuit break of a few weeks’ would see schools and most workplaces remain open but hospitality businesses may be forced to shut. No firm decisions have been made yet, but the government’s chief scientific adviser and medical officer predicted a ‘significant number of deaths’ by the end of October if no action is taken, Financial Times said.

 

 Boris Johnson has previously said he is strongly against a second national lockdown and is believed to have told scientists it would be ‘disastrous’ for the economy. A Government source said: ‘There’s a difference between not wanting to go back to another lockdown and having to go back.’ It comes as the number of positive cases doubles every seven to eight days in England, according to statistical analysis from Imperial College London and Ipsos Mori.

 

 A SAGE scientist has reportedly warned the NHS will be ‘broken’ if the R Rate continues at the same level. They added that the Government’s controversial test-and-trace system is already ‘creaking at the seams’.(ANA)

FA/ANA/18 September 2020------