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Updated October 31st, 2020 at 20:00 IST

UK plans for 2nd COVID lockdown as scientists warn nation could witness 4000 deaths a day

Boris Johnson called for an impromptu meeting in order to discuss a nationwide lockdown when scientists warned that the UK could see a surge in number of deaths

Reported by: Akanksha Arora
UK
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for an impromptu meeting inorder to discuss a nationwide lockdown when scientists warned that the United Kingdom could see more than 4,000 deaths a day without a lockdown. The Prime Minister's office said that the meeting would revolve around  “the government’s coronavirus response”. UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove were all part of the discussion. 

Read: UK PM Considering Lockdown As COVID-19 Cases Rise: Reports

UK prepares for a secong lockdown 

John Edmunds, an epidemiologist from John Edmunds and also a member of the government's scientific advisory group, on October 31 said that the cases were running “significantly above”. He said, “It is really unthinkable now, unfortunately, that we don’t count our deaths in tens of thousands from this wave. The issue is that going to be low tens of thousands if we take radical action now or is that going to be the high tens of thousands if we don’t?”. Therefore, Britain is soon likely to join other nations like France, Germany and Belgium in imposing a second lockdown. 

Read: UK PM Johnson Mulling Resignation As He 'can't Survive On £150,000 Pay': Report

According to a tally by the Johns Hopkins University, the UK has a total of 989,745 cases with 46,229 fatalities. The UK’s Office for National Statistics  infection survey found cases "continued to rise steeply" in the week ending October 23. The new lockdown will have a system of local restrictions for England based on levels of infection. Everything except essential shops and education settings could be closed as a part of the new lockdown. However, other parts of the UK will set their own measures. Wales and Northern Ireland are already in lockdown. Scotland is under a set of tough regional restrictions. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that as of now people in Scotland should not travel to or from England, “except for essential purposes". 

Read: Boris Johnson's Favorability Plunges As Rishi Sunak Dominates British Politics: Report

Also Read: UK Under Pressure Amid Warning Hospital Cases May Triple

(Image Credits: PTI)

 

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Published October 31st, 2020 at 20:00 IST

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