Covid restrictions might be needed next winter to control the virus if we don't act now, says Prof Whitty

direct to your inboxThe Prime Minister has warned easing lockdown restrictions too soon could lead to 'another big rebound' in the spread of coronavirus.Leading a press briefing on Friday afternoon, Boris Johnson was questioned on when current measures could be lifted.Mr Johnson highlighted the February 15 goalpost once again, saying measures won't be looked at until at least this date, in line with the vaccination programme.Speaking from Downing Street, he said the current restrictions are “the

direct to your inboxThe Prime Minister has said it's 'too early to say' when lockdown restrictions could be eased as he warned the new coronavirus strain is 'much more contagious'.It comes as reports on Wednesday suggested that controls wouldn't be lifted until Good Friday in April.On Boris Johnson's announcement of the national lockdown at the start of the month, he set February 15 as a goalpost to having the most vulnerable in society vaccinated.“That will eventually enable us to lift many of

direct to your inboxThe Prime Minister and the Chief Medical officer have given cautious predictions as to when lockdown could be lifted.Boris Johnson and Professor Christ Whitty were quizzed about the easing of restrictions at the Downing Street press conference today.Mr Johnson said that only once the most vulnerable have been vaccinated by mid-February 'we will think about what steps we could take to lift the restrictions'.He continued: “What we can’t have is any false sense of security so

direct to your inboxFuture variants of coronavirus could bypass the current batch of vaccines, England's chief scientific adviser has warned.Sir Patrick Vallance joined Boris Johnson and Prof Chris Whitty at a press conference at Downing Street today.Asked how the government plans to tackle new strains of the virus in future, Sir Patrick said it was possible that some could 'get round' current vaccines.But he added that existing vaccines were 'quite easy' to adjust to any changes.Sir Patrick

new lockdowns. Startling figures from the Office of National Statistics, showing that two per cent of the population in England could be infected, were described by  chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty as “really quite a large number indeed”.

direct to your inboxOne in 50 people in private households in England now have coronavirus, Boris Johnson said this evening.

Aldi CEO Giles Hurley has issued an important update for shoppers as the country enters a tighter period of lockdown restrictions due to an increase in the number of infections caused by the new strain of coronavirus. The chief of the German supermarket chain issued the statement just hours after both First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon and Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced enhanced measures to protect people from the ongoing pandemic.

England is to enter an immediate, legally enforceable lockdown akin to March 2020 due to alarmingly high Covid-19 numbers, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced this evening in a nationally televised address.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show this morning, Boris Johnson said he would not speculate about what a stricter tier system may involve, but warned that "tougher measures" may be needed in the weeks ahead.

First Minister will update MSPs on the latest data and plans to combat the sudden spike in infections, which is being blamed on a new strain of Covid which passes more easily from person to person.The Scottish Parliament was meant to be in recess for the Christmas holidays but has been recalled for only the fourth time in its history so members can debate Boris Johnson's Brexit bill.All mainland council areas were placed in tier four of the Scottish Government's lockdown framework as of Boxing