Lockdown shows ‘green shoots’ but Brits must NOT slack off as death rates WILL continue to rise

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BRITAIN’S lockdown has shown “green shoots” of hope but the public must NOT slack off as the death rate will continue to rise, it was warned today.

As the UK death toll has rose to 1,789 today, Michael Gove and NHS England’s Stephen Powis told the country they must not “slack off” and relax anytime soon.

Michael Gove said the death figures showed the importance of obeying the new lockdown rules

Mr Gove again stressed that the best thing Brits could do to help the fight is to stay at home.

He told the nation: “Now is not the time to imagine there can be any slackening.
“We must make sure we maintain this national effort to keep people safe…

“People’s efforts, people’s sacrifices are worth it, they are making a difference, but we must NOT let up.”

Stephen Powis, the National Medical Director of NHS England added: “We need every one of you to help by reducing the transmission of the virus.
“We will reduce the number of deaths and pressure on our health system.”

He said the “great British public are paying attention” to the lockdown rules so far, and the number of people using public transport has been drastically slashed in the last fortnight.

Although the number of new infections is starting to slow, it is vital that Britain dos not take its foot off the pedal yet, the NHS director added.

Mr Powis said this evening: “We are not out of the woods, we are very much in the woods still…

“So green shoots, but only green shoots and we must not be complacent and take our foot off the peddle.

“I think the next week or two are going to be critical, but this is the start of the battle.

“We can stop this virus but we are at the start and we can’t let go of the measures that we are doing.

“It is important that we all stick with it, everyone.”

Tonight Mr Gove revealed tonight that the UK was making thousands of new ventilators – which would be shipped off into the NHS by next week.

“The first of thousands of new ventilators will roll off the production and sent to the NHS next week,” he told the nation this evening.

And rapid clinical trials are taking place using anti-malarial drugs to try and see whether it will have an effect on those who are ill with Covid-19.

The Cabinet Office minister said the country had to go “further, faster” to increase the ability to carry out coronavirus tests to deal with the crisis.

But it’s not yet clear how the country is going to ramp up testing – or whether there’s the capacity to test everyone.

Around a third of UK COVID-19 hospital admissions are in London, he revealed, showing just how much pressure there is on the capital at the moment.

NHS Nightingale in East London will be ready to take in patients from the end of the week, it was also confirmed today.

And 10,000 new CPAP breathing aids are currently developed by Mercedes, too.

Transport use was dramatically slashed after the lockdown
The number of infections is starting to flat-line, tonight’s data revealed
The number of hospital admissions is still rising thanks to the virus
How the UK compares to the rest of the world