UK scientist: Coronavirus deaths could have been halved

Couples kept apart by lockdown restrictions could be reunited and some grandparents will be able to hug ir grandchildren from Saturday under plans set out by Boris Johnson.

Prime Minister's plan for "support bubbles" will allow ults living alone or single parents to mix with one or household.

y would n be allowed to interact as though y were one household, spending time toger indoors, t having to follow two-metre rule and would be allowed to stay overnight.

As latest move to ease England's coronavirus restrictions was anunced, an expert who h vised Government suggested that imposing lockdown a week earlier in March could have halved death toll.

Professor Neil Ferguson's comments came as number of deaths involving COVID-19 in UK passed 52,000, according to analysis of latest available data.

Officials mitted support bubble measure anunced by Prime Minister was t going to benefit everyone but was targeted at those who h been left isolated by lockdown restrictions.

It could allow children in single-parent households to see one set of grandparents.

A grandparent living alone would be allowed to visit house of ir child and grandchildren.

But move would t allow a couple to visit both parents as neir household would comprise a single ult.

At Downing Street briefing, Prime Minister said: "We are making this change to support those who are particularly lonely as a result of lockdown measures."

Prof Ferguson, from Imperial College London, told Commons Science and Techlogy Committee actions which saw a lockdown finally imposed on March 23 were based on what was kwn about virus at time.

He said: " epidemic was doubling every three to four days before lockdown interventions were introduced.

"So, h we introduced lockdown measures a week earlier, we would have reduced final death toll by at least a half.

"So whilst I think measures, given what we knew about this virus n in terms of its transmission and fatality, were warranted, certainly h we introduced m earlier we would have seen many fewer deaths."

Prof Ferguson's modelling of infection was instrumental in lockdown being introduced but he later quit Scientific visory Group for Emergencies (S) panel vising ministers after flouting restrictions.

Asked about Prof Ferguson's claim, Mr Johnson said "all such judgments will need to be examined in fullness of time".