Britain extends nationwide lockdown for at least another 3 weeks on Thursday
Iran Press TV
Thursday, 16 April 2020 6:36 PM
Britain has extended a nationwide lockdown for at least another 3 weeks to prevent the spread of a coronavirus outbreak which has already claimed over 138,000 lives globally.
"We have just come too far, we've lost too many loved ones, we've already sacrificed far too much to ease up now, especially when we are beginning to see the evidence that our efforts are starting to pay off," he told reporters.
Raab, is acting in proxy for the PM while Boris Johnson recuperates from COVID-19 complications that nearly cost him his life, chaired an emergency meeting to review scientific evidence on the impact of the existing lockdown.
"Based on this advice ... the government has decided that the current measures must remain in place for at least the next three weeks," he said. "Relaxing any of the measures currently in place would risk damage to both public health and the economy."
The announcement means Britons must stay at home unless they are shopping for basic necessities, or meeting medical needs. Citizens are allowed to exercise in public once a day, and can travel to work if they are unable to work from home.
The restrictions were announced on March 23 for an initial three-week period. Medical advisers speaking alongside Raab said they had reduced the overall rate of transmission of the virus to below 1, meaning it was now shrinking in the community.
Raab set out five loose conditions which must be met for the lockdown to be lifted, but refused to discuss any possible timeline.
Earlier, Health minister Matt Hancock warned the virus would "run rampant" if restrictions were lifted too soon.
A YouGov poll conducted before Thursday's announcement showed 91% of Britons supported a three week extension to the lockdown.
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