‘Second wave’ hits Europe and Hancock ‘can see it coming’ to UK

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned on Thursday that a “second wave is starting to roll across Europe” and is “worried” as “we can see it coming” to the UK.

It is expected that the government are set to extend the self-isolation period from seven days to 10 for those who are showing symptoms of coronavirus.

Speaking to Sky News Hancock warned that a “second wave starting to roll across Europe” and that the UK must “do everything to prevent it reaching these shores.”

“It’s something I worry about and I worry about it because we can see it coming.”

People who have come into close contact with an infected person who has tested positive for the virus, will now have to remain at home for two weeks, and seven days as it was previously.

If you have a fever, continuous cough, a loss of change in taste or smell you must self-isolate and get a test.

Hancock will set out later on Thursday more details of what to expect, and he added, “We will always do what is necessary to protect people.”

The Daily Mail reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson, fears the UK will see a resurgence of the virus “within two weeks,” as the weekly average cases have risen by 28% from three weeks ago.

Johnson warned, “I’m afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic.” This could prompt a second lockdown in parts or all of the UK.

The Prime Minister’s warning comes as more than 600,000 British holidaymakers are currently in Spain which is showing “signs of a second wave,” he announced on Tuesday.

According to the University of Cambridege,the R rate has been rising above 1 in parts of England, with the South East having an R rate of 102 and the South West at 1.04.

However, despite these findings the Health Secretary said he will not “prejudge” as more data will be published tomorrow.

The NHS Confederation chief executive Niall Dickson told the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) that they are concerned of an “earlier spike,” he warned.

He told the APPG, “I would say in relation to the second spike issue or something coming, the levels of concern among our members – the people who are leading NHS trusts, who are leading in primary care and all levels in the systems – is very high.

“There’s real concern about winter and the compounding factors there, but also about an earlier spike.”