U.K. Chief Medic Briefs MPs as Johnson Readies New Lockdowns
U.K. Chief Medic Briefs MPs as Boris Johnson Prepares New Lockdowns
(Bloomberg) --
The U.K.’s top medical adviser met with politicians from northern England and the Midlands to stress the sharp rise in coronavirus cases, amid growing anger over tougher rules expected to be imposed next week.
Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, was joined by health minister Edward Argar in the virtual meeting for more than 100 cross-party members of Parliament on Thursday, two people familiar with matter said.
It came as the government reported 17,540 new cases in daily data on Thursday, up from 14,162 -- a “definite and sustained” increase in cases and hospitalizations, according to Public Health England medical director Yvonne Doyle. “The trend is clear, and it is very concerning,” she said in an emailed statement.
Whitty used the meeting with MPs to show slides setting out the rise in hospitalizations, particularly in the northwest and northeast of England, and pointed to unpublished data which demonstrates pubs and restaurants are driving the infection rate.
Boris Johnson’s team is preparing to announce new restrictions for the worst-hit parts of the country from Monday, potentially including the closing of restaurants and bars. The meeting with Whitty was an opportunity for the government to persuade its own Conservative MPs to back the measures in Parliament after dissent mounted over the prime minister’s coronavirus strategy.
Asked about the lockdown plans, Johnson’s spokesman, James Slack, said only that the government is keeping virus data under “very close review.”
Exposure
One of the charts shown to MPs highlighted that an estimated 30% of exposure to coronavirus is in pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes -- far exceeding the level of exposure in supermarkets and shops.
Slack said “early data” showed the hospitality sector driving infection rates. The government has pledged to keep schools and as many workplaces as possible open, making pubs and restaurants a likely target for tougher restrictions.
Other official data released on Thursday showed there were 51,475 new coronavirus cases in England in the week ending Sept. 30, a rise of 56% on the previous week. But only 68.6% of the close contacts of those cases were reached through the government’s test-and-trace system -- down from 72.5% and significantly fewer than the target of 80%.
‘Critical Stage’
Whitty also warned about the rising rate of hospitalizations in the northeast and northwest of England. Health minister Nadine Dorries tweeted on Thursday that admissions will reach a “critical stage” in 10 days’ time.
But criticism of the government’s strategy is growing, including among Conservative MPs. Senior Tories are angry about the restrictions on civil liberties and complain about the lack of parliamentary scrutiny.
Last week ministers promised lawmakers will get a vote on any “significant” restrictions on a national level, but it’s not yet clear whether next week’s measures in northern England will fall into that category. It’s also not clear if Whitty’s meeting will placate potential rebels ahead of a vote Tuesday on the national 10 p.m. curfew for pubs and restaurants.
Meanwhile local leaders are increasingly voicing their anger about measures decided in London over which they complain they have no say. Andy Burnham, the major for Greater Manchester, said there is still no clarity of what’s planned for the region.
“What they are doing is imposing rather than negotiating,” Burnham told BBC radio on Thursday. “I have heard it said so many times in the north this week, the government are losing the dressing room -- and they are.”
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