Expert ‘hopes’ lockdown measures will ease in four ‘weeks-time’

Sir Jeremy Farrar an infectious disease expert hopes the UKs lockdown measures could be lifted within three to four weeks.

Should the infection numbers and hospital patients drop dramatically, on Sunday the UK recorded a drop in daily deaths to 596 in 24 hours.

The total number of coronavirus deaths across the UK now stands at 16,060 and 120,067 people have tested positive for the virus.

Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge programme, Sir Jeremy said, “I would hope they will get there in three-four weeks-time because it’s clear that the lockdown can’t go on for much longer.

“The damage it’s doing to all of our health and wellbeing, our mental health, the lockdown is damaging business and ultimately that’s damaging all of our lives.

“So, the lockdowns cannot go on forever, we must lift them as soon as we can, but we can’t lift them too soon and we can’t just make arbitrary dates.”

However, Professor Neil Fergusson who is the government top scientist advisor accused the government of acting too slowly over mass testing of the population.

Professor Fergusson said mass testing is the only key to ease the lockdown measures as only then will the government know how many people actually have the virus, or are now immune.

The Professor from Imperial College London has called on the government for “decisions to be accelerated.”

Professor Fergusson agreed with Nadine Dorries the Health Minister, who said last week that social distancing will have to continue until a vaccine has been found.

Dorries sparked chaos in government on Thursday after she said the UK will remain in a “full lockdown” until a vaccine has been made, which could be up to 18 months away.

Public health officials have said, it will still take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine – despite human trials beginning.

Last month Britain’s chief scientific adviser said that it would be at least 2021 before a vaccine was ready for the UK.