Yahoo Finance All of UK facing 'big burden' to prevent second Covid wave, warns minister
Everyone in the UK must take on the “big burden” of preventing a second wave of coronavirus , a government minister has said, as Caerphilly in south Wales prepared to be placed under local lockdown and stricter measures were extended in Scotland.
Robert Jenrick, the housing and communities secretary, echoed claims by the deputy medical officer, Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, who warned the UK will face “a bumpy ride over the next few months” if people don’t take the virus seriously.
“There’s a big burden on all of us now to follow the guidance as closely as we can, otherwise we do face greater restrictions later this year,” Jenrick told Sky News on Tuesday. “No one wants to see a return to full, national restrictions of the kind we had earlier this year,” he added.
There were a further 2,948 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Monday, following the 2,988 reported on Sunday, which was the largest daily figure since May.
“People have relaxed too much,” Van-Tam said on Monday. “Now is the time for us to re-engage and realise that this is a continuing threat to us.”
He added: “These latest figures really show us that much as people might like to say ‘oh well it’s gone away’ – this hasn’t gone away. And if we’re not careful, if we don’t take this incredibly seriously from this point in we’re going to have a bumpy ride over the next few months.”
As the UK continued attempts to quell regional outbreaks, people were told they cannot enter or leave Caerphilly without a reasonable excuse when new restrictions are imposed at 6pm on Tuesday.
The lockdown there is expected to last until at least October, the Welsh health minister, Vaughan Gething, has said.
Gething said community transmission of Covid-19 was taking place and unless people respected the restrictions, it was likely to “get out of control” and have “national consequences”.
Speaking on BBC Radio Wales, Gething said: “Social distancing has broken down.” He said the problem had been caused by a combination of people returning from Europe and getting together in houses.
He defended the decision not to close pubs, arguing that “significant transmission” was not taking place in such settings but this would continue to be reviewed.
There is no suggestion that road blocks will be set up to stop people from travelling in and out of Caerphilly county borough.
Meetings with other people indoors will be banned and everyone over 11 will have to wear masks in shops, the first time the measure has been made mandatory in Wales.
The South Wales borough has seen 133 new Covid-19 cases over the past seven days, equivalent to a rate of 55.4 cases per 100,000 population, giving it one of the highest rates in the UK.
Schools, bars and restaurants are not being closed under the restrictions. Care visits will be able to go ahead.
Meanwhile, restrictions on household visits across western parts of Scotland were extended for a further week and expanded to also include East Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire.
The restrictions, which first came into place from midnight on Monday, were introduced after figures showed 86 new positive coronavirus cases in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
The Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said the move followed a “continued increase in new Covid-19 cases”.
She tweeted: “I understand this will not be welcome news for people living in these areas but it is necessary to help us limit the spread of Covid. Acting now gives us the time and the space to protect people and get more control over the virus.”
