Johnson pointed towards Europe, where Covid cases have risen by around 9% in recent weeks, and warned that the UK has experienced similar increases after the continent in the past. The prime minister also appeared to reject suggestions that his “roadmap” to lifting lockdown in England could be accelerated as Covid cases, deaths and hospitalisations all continue to fall. “Don’t forget they are still very high by the standards of last year – we still have thousands of people in hospital with Covid. The deputy chief medical officer did however downplay suggestions schools may be forced to close again if new cases emerge. “It is really important when observing this that people think through the next three to four weeks, not the first one or two.”

Source: Huffington Post March 08, 2021 17:03 UTC