And yes, I can see the long-term consequences of lockdown as clearly as anyone. And so yes, I entirely share your urgency. It's the government's urgency and yet we must also recognize the risk of a second spike, the risk of losing control of that virus and letting the reproduction rate go back over one. Because that would mean not only a new wave of death and disease, but also an economic disaster.
Johnson said after a long struggle was cope with COVID-19 the UK was beginning to turn the tide. Infections in the country have surged over the past few weeks - more than 150,000. It has also confirmed nearly 21,000 deaths.