Lockdown could last up to 6 months, UK warns, as US and Europe also gear up for extended restrictions - CNBC

A near-deserted Regent Street in London, England, on March 26, 2020. According to the latest daily figures a total of 578 people have so far died across the UK after testing positive for the covid-19 coronavirus.

David Cliff | NurPhoto | Getty Images

The lockdown in the U.K. to stop the coronavirus outbreak could last for up to six months, government officials warned Sunday, as the U.S. and other European nations also announced prolonged restrictions on public life.

Speaking at the U.K.'s daily press conference on the latest coronavirus news, the U.K.'s deputy chief medical officer said a lockdown could last, in some form, for months.

"Over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three week review," Jenny Harries said, "We will see where we're going."

"We need to keep that lid on and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social-distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal. So I think three weeks for review, two or three months to see whether we've really squashed it. But about three to six months ideally, and lots of uncertainty in that, but then to see at which point we can actually get back to normal."

Harries said that if the measures were extended then it's not to say that the U.K. "would be in complete lockdown for six months," but she added that it was also plausible that the measures could be extended beyond that six-month mark.

The U.K. is entering its second week of national lockdown, while other European countries have endured longer restrictions amid rising death tolls. Italy and Spain are the worst hit countries; in Italy, the total number of confirmed cases is nearing 100,000 (the death toll as of Sunday was 10,779 people) while in Spain there are just over 80,000 confirmed cases and 6,803 deaths.

The number of confirmed cases in the U.K. rose to 19,784 on Sunday, with the death toll standing at 1,228, as of Saturday.

The U.K. is thought to be several weeks behind Italy in terms of infections, although it is hoping that lockdown measures can stop the spread of the outbreak and limit a hit on the country's overstretched health service. Brits are currently advised not to leave their homes unless they need to buy food, or for exercise once a day.

It was confirmed last week that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have both contracted the virus; Johnson insisted he would remain in charge of coordinating government while self-isolating at his official residence in Downing Street. The country's chief medical officer also said he was experiencing symptoms of the virus last week.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump extended the national social distancing guidelines to April 30, rowing back from previous remarks that he wanted the country to reopen for business by Easter.

"Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory has been won," Trump said at an evening press briefing after suggesting that the coronavirus death rate would likely peak in two weeks.

Germany, with over 62,000 confirmed cases, has said it won't lift restrictions on public life until April 20 and Italy, which was due to review its own lockdown measures on April 3, has said these could be extended until July 31. Spain extended its state of emergency, and accompanying restrictions, to April 11. 

The U.K. government is to send a letter to Britain's 30 million households, warning them the situation around coronavirus will get worse before it improves. It's still to be seen whether restrictive measures imposed on the country are effective in stalling the spread of the disease.

"We actually anticipate our numbers will get worse over the next week, possibly two, and then we are looking to see whether we have managed to push that curve down and we start to see a decline," Harries noted Sunday.

The government, and health service, could get a boost from an unlikely source in the coming weeks after Mercedes' Formula One (F1) team worked with clinicians and engineers from London's University College London, and its next door hospital, to fast-track the building of a breathing aid that delivers oxygen to the lungs without needing a ventilator, the BBC reported.  The device can help keep people with the coronavirus from having to go into intensive care wards, thus easing pressure on the health service.

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2020-03-30 08:45:40Z
CAIiECAWsSPFXTe2O4kOMNvc72sqGQgEKhAIACoHCAow2Nb3CjDivdcCMJ_d7gU

Lockdown could last up to 6 months, UK warns, as US and Europe also gear up for extended restrictions - CNBC

A near-deserted Regent Street in London, England, on March 26, 2020. According to the latest daily figures a total of 578 people have so far died across the UK after testing positive for the covid-19 coronavirus.

David Cliff | NurPhoto | Getty Images

The lockdown in the U.K. to stop the coronavirus outbreak could last for up to six months, government officials warned Sunday, as the U.S. and other European nations also announced prolonged restrictions on public life.

Speaking at the U.K.'s daily press conference on the latest coronavirus news, the U.K.'s deputy chief medical officer said a lockdown could last, in some form, for months.

"Over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three week review," Jenny Harries said, "We will see where we're going."

"We need to keep that lid on and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social-distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal. So I think three weeks for review, two or three months to see whether we've really squashed it. But about three to six months ideally, and lots of uncertainty in that, but then to see at which point we can actually get back to normal."

Harries said that if the measures were extended then it's not to say that the U.K. "would be in complete lockdown for six months," but she added that it was also plausible that the measures could be extended beyond that six-month mark.

The U.K. is entering its second week of national lockdown, while other European countries have endured longer restrictions amid rising death tolls. Italy and Spain are the worst hit countries; in Italy, the total number of confirmed cases is nearing 100,000 (the death toll as of Sunday was 10,779 people) while in Spain there are just over 80,000 confirmed cases and 6,803 deaths.

The number of confirmed cases in the U.K. rose to 19,784 on Sunday, with the death toll standing at 1,228, as of Saturday.

The U.K. is thought to be several weeks behind Italy in terms of infections, although it is hoping that lockdown measures can stop the spread of the outbreak and limit a hit on the country's overstretched health service. Brits are currently advised not to leave their homes unless they need to buy food, or for exercise once a day.

It was confirmed last week that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have both contracted the virus; Johnson insisted he would remain in charge of coordinating government while self-isolating at his official residence in Downing Street. The country's chief medical officer also said he was experiencing symptoms of the virus last week.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump extended the national social distancing guidelines to April 30, rowing back from previous remarks that he wanted the country to reopen for business by Easter.

"Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory has been won," Trump said at an evening press briefing after suggesting that the coronavirus death rate would likely peak in two weeks.

Germany, with over 62,000 confirmed cases, has said it won't lift restrictions on public life until April 20 and Italy, which was due to review its own lockdown measures on April 3, has said these could be extended until July 31. Spain extended its state of emergency, and accompanying restrictions, to April 11. 

The U.K. government is to send a letter to Britain's 30 million households, warning them the situation around coronavirus will get worse before it improves. It's still to be seen whether restrictive measures imposed on the country are effective in stalling the spread of the disease.

"We actually anticipate our numbers will get worse over the next week, possibly two, and then we are looking to see whether we have managed to push that curve down and we start to see a decline," Harries noted Sunday.

The government, and health service, could get a boost from an unlikely source in the coming weeks after Mercedes' Formula One (F1) team worked with clinicians and engineers from London's University College London, and its next door hospital, to fast-track the building of a breathing aid that delivers oxygen to the lungs without needing a ventilator, the BBC reported.  The device can help keep people with the coronavirus from having to go into intensive care wards, thus easing pressure on the health service.

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2020-03-30 07:52:20Z
CAIiECAWsSPFXTe2O4kOMNvc72sqGQgEKhAIACoHCAow2Nb3CjDivdcCMP3ungY

Coronavirus: Six months before UK 'returns to normal' - deputy chief medical officer - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

It could be six months before life in the UK returns to "normal", England's deputy chief medical officer has said.

Speaking at the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Dr Jenny Harries added: "This is not to say we would be in complete lockdown for six months."

But, she continued, the UK had to be "responsible" in its actions and reduce social distancing measures "gradually".

It comes as the number of people in the UK to have died with coronavirus reached 1,228.

Among those to have died with the virus is Amged El-Hawrani, a 55-year-old doctor and ear, nose and throat trainer at Queen's Hospital Burton. His death was confirmed shortly before the press briefing. An organ transplant consultant died last week.

• Is the NHS ready for the surge in coronavirus cases?
• Hospital consultant dies from Covid-19

Dr Harries said the government would review the lockdown measures for the first time in three weeks.

But she warned the public: "We must not then suddenly revert to our normal way of living. That would be quite dangerous."

She continued: "If we stop then all of our efforts will be wasted and we could potentially see a second peak.

"So over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three-week review. We will see where we are going.

"We need to keep that lid on - and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal.

"Three weeks for review, two or three months to see whether we have really squashed it but about three to six months ideally, and lots of uncertainty in that, but then to see at which point we can actually get back to normal."

But Dr Harries also said it was "plausible" that it could further than that.

On the number of deaths from the virus, she added: "We actually anticipate our numbers will get worse over the next week, possibly two, and then we are looking to see whether we have managed to push that curve down and we start to see a decline."

This was perhaps the most explicit sense we've had yet of the possible timeline for all this - and how long it could continue to have such massive implications for our day to day lives.

Prepare for this to be a slog has been the consistent message today - with the latest estimate from the deputy chief medical officer for England being that it could be around six months - that takes us until October - until things are returning to normal.

It may be quicker than that - it may take longer.

She is not saying the current - rather drastic - adjustments we've all had to make to our lives will stay in place until then…but that all of these measures - staying at home, lots of shops being shut, etc - will have to be eased very, very gradually - to ensure there isn't a sudden spike of new cases shortly afterwards.

The government, the scientists, can't be specific - because they are dealing with what they call a moving target…but what is now clear is this virus is likely to continue to have profound effects on our way of life - our businesses, the education of our children, our incomes, our holidays, our ability to move around and see relatives - for quite some time to come.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Meanwhile, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said the UK was on "emergency footing" in a way "unprecedented" in peacetime.

Giving an update on the measures in place to get personal protective equipment to frontline NHS staff, Mr Jenrick said there was now a "national supply distribution response team" to deliver PPE to those in need, supported by the Armed Forces and other emergency services.

Some 170 million masks and almost 10 million items of cleaning equipment are among the items being delivered to "58,000 NHS trusts and healthcare settings", he said

"We haven't done anything like this since the Second World War," he added.

Mr Jenrick also provided more detail on how the government would shield the most vulnerable people in the country, after more than a million people in the UK were told to stay at home for 12 weeks.

He said that, for those without family support, "The NHS will deliver your medicines through the community pharmacy network.

"If you register online or using the phone service, letting us know that you need support, then we will deliver food and supplies to your doorstep."

On the subject of food parcels for the vulnerable, he added: "The first 50,000 will be sent out by the end of this week. And we are ramping up production to send out as many as are required for as long as it takes."

Meanwhile, the number of volunteers who have signed up to help the NHS during the crisis has hit 750,000, Mr Jenrick said, three times the initial target.

The recruitment drive will now be temporarily paused to enable the Royal Volunteer Service to process the applications.

Speaking late on Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson - who is self-isolating in Downing Street after testing positive for coronavirus - thanked the volunteers, and announced on Twitter that 20,000 NHS staff were also returning to the health service, calling it "the most amazing thing".

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2020-03-30 02:51:36Z
CBMiJGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay01MjA4NDUxN9IBKGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy9hbXAvdWstNTIwODQ1MTc

Police in England dye a 'Blue Lagoon' black to deter visitors during coronavirus lockdown - CNN

(CNN) — Not even a nationwide lockdown could stop England's Instagrammers from flocking to a former limestone quarry in Harpur Hill, whose bright blue waters have earned it the nickname, "Blue Lagoon."

So police did what they had to do to stop visitors from coming. They dyed it black.

Despite this order, police said people were still visiting the disused quarry, which has become a popular tourist attraction.

What the "Blue Lagoon" looked like before it was dyed black.

Buxton Police SNT

"With this in mind, we have attended the location this morning and used water dye to make the water look less appealing," the Buxton police department said in a Facebook post Wednesday. "Please stay at home."

This isn't the first time the picturesque body of water, near Buxton and about three hours northwest of London, has been dyed black, according to police. While the lagoon may look like a tropical getaway, officials say the water contans toxic chemicals and has a pH level of 11.3, according to the BBC. For reference, laundry bleach has a pH level of about 12.

Signs around the lagoon even warn tourists that the water contains cars, dead animals and trash. So police regularly dye the water to prevent people from swimming in it.

The move by Buxton police comes as the number of coronavirus cases in the UK continue to rise. As of Sunday there were at least 19,772 confirmed cases and 1,228 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

"We know things will get worse before they get better," he writes in the letter. "But we are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal."

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2020-03-29 20:55:24Z
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Coronavirus: Six months before UK 'returns to normal' - deputy chief medical officer - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

It could be six months before life in the UK returns to "normal", England's deputy chief medical officer has said.

Speaking at the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Dr Jenny Harries added: "This is not to say we would be in complete lockdown for six months."

But, she continued, the UK had to be "responsible" in its actions and reduce social distancing measures "gradually".

It comes as the number of people in the UK to have died with coronavirus reached 1,228.

Among those to have died with the virus is Amged El-Hawrani, a 55-year-old doctor and ear, nose and throat trainer at Queen's Hospital Burton. His death was confirmed shortly before the press briefing. An organ transplant consultant died last week.

• Is the NHS ready for the surge in coronavirus cases?
• Hospital consultant dies from Covid-19

Dr Harries said the government would review the lockdown measures for the first time in three weeks.

But she warned the public: "We must not then suddenly revert to our normal way of living. That would be quite dangerous."

She continued: "If we stop then all of our efforts will be wasted and we could potentially see a second peak.

"So over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three-week review. We will see where we are going.

"We need to keep that lid on - and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal.

"Three weeks for review, two or three months to see whether we have really squashed it but about three to six months ideally, and lots of uncertainty in that, but then to see at which point we can actually get back to normal."

But Dr Harries also said it was "plausible" that it could further than that.

On the number of deaths from the virus, she added: "We actually anticipate our numbers will get worse over the next week, possibly two, and then we are looking to see whether we have managed to push that curve down and we start to see a decline."

This was perhaps the most explicit sense we've had yet of the possible timeline for all this - and how long it could continue to have such massive implications for our day to day lives.

Prepare for this to be a slog has been the consistent message today - with the latest estimate from the deputy chief medical officer for England being that it could be around six months - that takes us until the end of October - until things are returning to normal.

It may be quicker than that - it may take longer.

She is not saying the current - rather drastic - adjustments we've all had to make to our lives will stay in place until then…but that all of these measures - staying at home, lots of shops being shut, etc - will have to be eased very, very gradually - to ensure there isn't a sudden spike of new cases shortly afterwards.

The government, the scientists, can't be specific - because they are dealing with what they call a moving target…but what is now clear is this virus is likely to continue to have profound effects on our way of life - our businesses, the education of our children, our incomes, our holidays, our ability to move around and see relatives - for quite some time to come.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Meanwhile, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said the UK was on "emergency footing" in a way "unprecedented" in peacetime.

Giving an update on the measures in place to get personal protective equipment to frontline NHS staff, Mr Jenrick said there was now a "national supply distribution response team" to deliver PPE to those in need, supported by the Armed Forces and other emergency services.

Some 170 million masks and almost 10 million items of cleaning equipment are among the items being delivered to "58,000 NHS trusts and healthcare settings", he said

"We haven't done anything like this since the Second World War," he added.

Mr Jenrick also provided more detail on how the government would shield the most vulnerable people in the country, after more than a million people in the UK were told to stay at home for 12 weeks.

He said that, for those without family support, "The NHS will deliver your medicines through the community pharmacy network.

"If you register online or using the phone service, letting us know that you need support, then we will deliver food and supplies to your doorstep."

On the subject of food parcels for the vulnerable, he added: "The first 50,000 will be sent out by the end of this week. And we are ramping up production to send out as many as are required for as long as it takes."

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2020-03-29 17:20:32Z
52780696755337

Coronavirus: Six months before UK 'returns to normal' - deputy chief medical officer - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

It could be at least six months before life in the UK returns to "normal", England's deputy chief medical officer has said.

Speaking at the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Dr Jenny Harries added: "This is not to say we would be in complete lockdown for six months."

But, she added, "We have to be really, really responsible and keep doing what we're all doing."

It comes as the number of deaths of people with coronavirus reached 1,228.

Among those to have died with the virus is Amged El-Hawrani, a 55-year-old doctor and ear, nose and throat trainer at Queen's Hospital Burton. His death was confirmed shortly before the press briefing. An organ transplant consultant died last week.

• Is the NHS ready for the surge in coronavirus cases?
• Hospital consultant dies from Covid-19

Dr Harries said the government would review the lockdown measures for the first time in three weeks.

But she warned the public: "We must not then suddenly revert to our normal way of living. That would be quite dangerous."

She continued: "If we stop then all of our efforts will be wasted and we could potentially see a second peak.

"So over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three-week review. We will see where we are going.

"We need to keep that lid on - and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal.

"Three weeks for review, two or three months to see whether we have really squashed it but about three to six months ideally, and lots of uncertainty in that, but then to see at which point we can actually get back to normal."

But Dr Harries also said it was "plausible" that it could further than that.

On the number of deaths from the virus, she added: "We actually anticipate our numbers will get worse over the next week, possibly two, and then we are looking to see whether we have managed to push that curve down and we start to see a decline."

This was perhaps the most explicit sense we've had yet of the possible timeline for all this - and how long it could continue to have such massive implications for our day to day lives.

Prepare for this to be a slog has been the consistent message today - with the latest estimate from the deputy chief medical officer for England being that it could be around six months - that takes us until the end of October - until things are returning to normal.

It may be quicker than that - it may take longer.

She is not saying the current - rather drastic - adjustments we've all had to make to our lives will stay in place until then…but that all of these measures - staying at home, lots of shops being shut, etc - will have to be eased very, very gradually - to ensure there isn't a sudden spike of new cases shortly afterwards.

The government, the scientists, can't be specific - because they are dealing with what they call a moving target…but what is now clear is this virus is likely to continue to have profound effects on our way of life - our businesses, the education of our children, our incomes, our holidays, our ability to move around and see relatives - for quite some time to come.

Meanwhile, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said the UK was on "emergency footing" in a way "unprecedented" in peacetime.

Giving an update on the measures in place to get personal protective equipment to frontline NHS staff, Mr Jenrick said there was now a "national supply distribution response team" to deliver PPE to those in need, supported by the Armed Forces and other emergency services.

Some 170 million masks and almost 10 million items of cleaning equipment are among the items being delivered to "58,000 NHS trusts and healthcare settings", he said

"We haven't done anything like this since the Second World War," he added.

Mr Jenrick also provided more detail on how the government would shield the most vulnerable people in the country, after more than a million people in the UK were told to stay at home for 12 weeks.

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2020-03-29 17:14:59Z
52780696755337

Coronavirus: Number of UK deaths rises above 1,000 - BBC News

The number of people to have died with the coronavirus in the UK has reached 1,019.

The latest government figures on Saturday showed there were another 260 deaths in the UK in a day, up from 759 on Friday.

There are now 17,089 confirmed cases in the UK.

It comes as the government said it was ramping up testing for frontline hospital staff who have symptoms, or who live with people who have symptoms.

Critical care doctors and nurses will be prioritised first, with testing expected to follow for A&E staff, paramedics and GPs.

In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, health workers are already being tested.

The jump in deaths is the biggest day-on-day increase the UK since the outbreak began. The number of deaths is 34% higher than Friday's figure.

The new figures include a further 246 people in England, with patients aged between 33 and 100 years old. All of them had underlying health conditions except 13 people, who were aged 63 and over.

In Scotland, 40 people have died so far in total, while the figure in Wales is 38. Northern Ireland has seen a total of 15 deaths.

The Department of Health and Social Care also corrected figures that it shared on Friday, saying the number of confirmed cases was 36 fewer than it had tweeted, at 14,543.

Among the latest public figures to announce they have tested positive for the virus is Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, who is self-isolating.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock are self-isolating after testing positive for the virus. England's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, is also self-isolating, but has not tested positive.

Former Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell said politicians needed to "obey their own rules much more strictly" on social distancing.

In other developments:

• The car park of Chessington World of Adventures in Chessington has become a temporary drive through testing station for NHS workers
• Photos showed work under way to turn London's ExCel centre into a temporary hospital with capacity for 4,000 people
• Two new temporary hospitals will be set up in Birmingham and Manchester to help the NHS cope with the virus
• County councils are warning residents some services, such as recycling centres and adult education centres, will be significantly scaled back or stopped to prioritise keeping people safe from coronavirus
• The Local Government Association says council workers are being physically and verbally abused for implementing the government's social distancing policy. Workers have been spat at, sworn at and racially abused, it said
• The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said he had received about 300 complaints from employees and the public about businesses not following social distancing guidelines.
• The HCSA hospital doctors' union said potential supply issues should not delay the reported introduction of more stringent guidance on the use of personal protective equipment by frontline NHS staff.

The total number of people tested for the virus in the UK was 120,776, as of Saturday morning.

Currently, about 6,000 people are tested daily, but the government wants to increase that number to 10,000 a day by the end of March and 25,000 a day by mid-April.

The British Medical Association said the move towards testing NHS staff in England was "long overdue", following concerns that healthy members of staff may have been self-isolating at home when they did not need to.

The new tests being offered to frontline NHS staff - and which have already been used to check very ill patients in hospitals - are antigen tests, which indicate if someone is currently infected and risks spreading it to others.

Another type of test, called the antibody test, indicates whether someone has recently had the virus. It is not available to the public yet but Public Health England is ordering it in.

Over the weekend, the first of three new testing labs are expected to start work to process 800 samples, the government said. Samples will be taken around the country, initially focusing on coronavirus hotspots such as London.

Dozens of universities, research institutes and companies are lending equipment for the labs.

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2020-03-29 05:16:50Z
52780691736069