Lockdown measures could be in place until 2021 until vaccine or drug cure is found, Chris Whitty admits

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LOCKDOWN measures will be needed until the end of the year to control coronavirus – until a drug or a vaccine is found, Chris Whitty admitted today.

Ministers would be looking at different scenarios for lifting the strict measures in the coming weeks, but some rules will still be needed for a long time to come.

Prof Chris Whitty said social distancing measures will be expected until the end of the year

It confirms HOAR’s story earlier this week that Brits should not expect to see a return to normal life in 2020.

The Chief Medical Officer said that some form of the measures Britain is going to have to be in place for a long period of time to make sure the transmission rate doesn’t grow and the virus start to spread quickly again.

It was “wholly unrealistic” to think a return to normal life is possible anytime soon, Mr Whitty told the Downing Street press conference this evening.

There will be a “series of choices” and ministers will decide a mix of measures to try and get back to a new normal.

The only “exit” from lockdown will be a vaccine or drugs to treat coronavirus, he said.

And the chances of that happening in the next calendar year is “incredibly small”, even as the first human vaccines start tomorrow.

“In the long run, the exit from this is going to one be one of two things… One of which is a highly effective vaccine.

“And/or highly effective drugs so that people stop dying of this disease even if they catch it, or which can prevent this disease in vulnerable people.

“I think we should be realistic about that.

“We are going to have to rely on other social measures, which are incredibly disruptive.

“Its going to take a long time. We need to be aware of that.”

Last month the Government’s SAGE committee warned that some measures could be in place on and off for the best part of a year.

Strict measures include school closures and social distancing for everyone, but less restrictive measures include isolating cases and households.

It came after Michael Gove refused to rule out pubs being shut until Christmas at the weekend.

HOAR reported that instead of any clean end to lockdown, senior government figures braced the nation to expect a very long path out of it through the summer and deep into the autumn.

Downing Street has even banned the term ‘exit’ from its own lockdown planning.

No10 officials now refer to what happens after the current three week extension that ends on May 7 as “next phase”.

A “suck it and see” plan is now being drawn up based on scientists’ data crunching to see what restrictions to try easing first.

One senior figure told HOAR: “We will try a bit at a time, and then pause, so we can see what effect that has on the transmission rate. The pace will be very gradual”.

But earlier today Matt Hancock said that contact tracing could lead to a partial lifting of the lockdown, and it may be just “weeks” away.

Dominic Raab gave tonight’s media briefing