UK faces 10pm curfew and pubs shut ‘within two weeks’
Brits could face tougher coronavirus lockdown measures ‘within two weeks’ if the new rule of six doesn’t work, scientists have warned.
Ministers are reportedly considering a 10pm curfew for the public and shutting pubs early in order to avoid a second wave.
But Boris Johnson has insisted schools will be the last to shut if another form of national lockdown is brought in.
‘Lockdown is the only thing that we know works, to be frank,’ a leading scientific advisor told ITV.
‘I think that if we want to keep schools open, we probably have to give serious consideration to a wide range of other measures to stop a major second wave.
‘And we have to think about doing that right now – which we are starting to do.’
A member of Sage added: ‘My big worry now is that we might be too late again to avert a major second wave.
‘If we wait for deaths to go up again before taking decisive action we will be in trouble again.’
A member of the Government added: ‘There is no possibility of us waiting for the death rate to rise before we act.’
It comes after earlier this week the new ‘rule of six’ came into force, stopping people from socialising indoors and outdoors in groups larger than six people.
People caught flouting the rules may be slapped with £100 fines.
But Government sources say further measures are being kept under consideration as possible tools to curb the virus.
The UK reported an increase in coronavirus cases of 3,105 yesterday, with another nine people dying from the disease.
There are fears of a second wave of disease following a spike in infections, and demands for testing have risen dramatically causing tests to have to be rationed.
Bolton has already seen a curfew imposed, with hospitality venues closed between 10pm and 5am and only takeaway drinks are allowed.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.