BORIS Johnson has told colleagues he is very cautious about lifting the lockdown restrictions for fear of a second wave of the coronavirus.
Daily deaths fell by almost a third to 596 yesterday – the lowest Sunday for three weeks – as experts said Britain may be past the peak of the “first wave” of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But the PM told cabinet colleagues, advisers and officials he is concerned lifting restrictions too soon could result in a “second peak” and result another costly lockdown.
Mr Johnson is currently recuperating from the coronavirus at Chequers and has told Cabinet colleagues he could return to work as early as the end of next week.
He reportedly shared his views on the lockdown a two-hour meeting on Friday with foreign secretary Dominic Raab, the Dominic Cummings, his most senior adviser, and director of communications Lee Cain.
Cabinet Sir Mark Sedwill joined in by video conference as did several of the prime minister’s senior advisers, including Sir Eddie Lister, Munira Murza and Liam Booth-Smith.
“The idea that we will be rushing to lift measures is a non-starter,” a government source told The Times.
“If the transmission rate rises significantly we will have to do a harder lockdown again.”
The PM’s cautious approach is in contrast to that of Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who both favour an early easing of restrictions.
Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and a government adviser, said the lockdown should be eased within weeks.
“The damage it’s doing to all of our health, our wellbeing, our mental health, is disproportionately of course affecting the most vulnerable,” he told Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Sky:
“I hope we will get there in three, four weeks’ time because it is clear that the lockdown can’t go on for much longer.”
