UK: Dominic Raab says it's 'too early' to think about ending COVID-19 lockdown

As the United Kingdom recorded over 65,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, said it’s ‘too early’ to think about ending the lockdown. The initial lockdown of UK ends on April 13, however, with nearly 7,978 fatalities and British Prime Minister contracting the deadly disease, the government might announce an extension. Britain is bracing itself for more deaths from the novel virus in the upcoming weeks. 

While addressing the daily coronavirus briefing, Raab said, “We're not done yet. We must keep going. While the early signs suggest they're [social distancing measures] having the impact, it's too early to say that conclusively”.

He added, “We mustn't give the coronavirus a second chance to kill more people. Let's not ruin it now. People need to think long and hard about what might happen to people on the front line of the NHS if they are considering going out this weekend”. 

READ: UK Reports 881 New Coronavirus Fatalities, Death Toll Reaches 7,978

Dominic Raab is currently substituting for Boris Johnson in the cabinet meetings for country’s response to coronavirus outbreak and called it a ‘war cabinet. Furthermore, while outlining the future plans, Raab even said that he chaired a Cobra meeting with senior ministers and representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as the mayor of London so that the authorities could take stock and assess. He also said that the government is continuing to gather all of the relevant data to obtain the fullest picture possible of the effects of the social distancing measures. 

He went on to say, “While the early signs suggest that they're having the impact that we need to see, it's too early to say that conclusively. SAGE [the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies] will meet next week to discuss the latest evidence and we'll keep the measures we've put in place under review”. 

READ: UK Joins US, Brazil & Sri Lanka In Thanking India For Key Drug Exports Amid Covid Crisis

He added, ”As we've said on many occasions now, we'll be guided by the science at all times. We don't expect to be able to say more on this until the end of next week and let me just be very clear about this - the measures will have to stay in place until we've got the evidence that clearly shows we've moved beyond the peak”. 

‘Continues to improve’ 

Meanwhile, the British PM had announced that he was tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month, and since then he was in self-isolation and was even chairing digital cabinet meetings over UK’s response to the pandemic but was admitted to hospital due to persistent symptoms. While he remains in intensive care, Downing Street reportedly said that his condition ‘continues to improve’. British culture secretary Oliver Dowden told an international news broadcaster that ‘he’s stable, improving’. He also added that Johnson is now able to sit up and even engage with the medical staff at the hospital and said: ‘things are getting better for him’.

(Image source: AP) 

READ: Patient Describes Recovery On Same Ward As UK PM

READ: UK Records 881 Coronavirus Deaths