Britain's lockdown measures might last 6 months and are working - health official

LONDON, March 26 (Reuters) - Some lockdown measures which restrict the social interactions of Britons could be in place for six months, but the steps are bearing fruit in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Britain's deputy chief medical officer said on Thursday.

Jenny Harries declined to say when the peak in the epidemic would be, saying that the effects of new measures to enforce social distancing were only just being seen but signs were promising.

"We may see measures of lockdown going forward over the next six months. That would not be an implausible outcome. But I also said I think that as we’re watching the curve, it may be possible... to start moving that," she said at a news conference.

"We are starting to see some helpful movement... But we must not take our foot off the pedal." (Reporting by William James, Andy Bruce and Elizabeth Howcroft, writing by Alistair Smout)