UK warned new wave could ‘easily take off again’ as lockdown rules ease

A medical expert has warned the public that coronavirus cases could increase as lockdown rules start to ease.

Dr Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer for England, said the UK could see a new wave of cases if caution is not followed in the coming weeks.

It comes as the case rate has fallen to below 100 per 100,000 people in the population in every region across the country.

She said the data shows a ‘pleasing picture but one which I think still has some caution attached to it’.

‘But it’s not uniformly across the country so it’s really important that we continue to practise social distancing, hands, face and space as the PM has said and continue to observe all of our handwashing as well,’ Dr Harries added.

‘You can see that the rate is back now about where it was in the end of September. So still quite a high level.

‘This is a level which a new wave could easily take off again from and we need to persist with all of those actions.’

Her comments come as the UK recorded its lowest number of deaths from Covid-19 in several months.

Boris Johnson led the Covid-19 press conference today as pupils returned to school in the first step of the easing of the third national lockdown in England.

The prime minister said: ‘And so, today we’ve been able to take that crucial first step on what we hope is our cautious but irreversible roadmap to freedom.

‘Today, allowing people to meet one-on-one outside for the first time in months, allowing carehome visits to take place with all appropriate precautions.

‘And this first step on the roadmap is made possible, above all, by our NHS which has now vaccinated more than one third of the entire UK population.

‘We take this step with confidence because all four of the most vulnerable groups have not only been vaccinated in overwhelming groups but it is now three weeks, or at least three weeks, since they’ve received their first dose so that they’ll be feeling the full benefits of the vaccine protection.

‘We will continue on this roadmap but we must remember that today’s return to schools will of course have an impact on the spread of the virus.’

A number of journalists used the press conference to attempt to question Mr Johnson about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, which first aired in the US last night.

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