On Sunday during the daily Downing Street press briefing, Yvonne Doyle, the Medical Director of NHS England said that they are “tracking” France and that Italy.
Doyle said in terms of the global comparison of coronavirus deaths, the UK is “close” to Italy, which has just over 20,000 deaths.
Hancock said, “That sort of comment merely reinforces the importance of the central message that people should stay at home because that protects the NHS and saves lives.”
But Doyle said it is “early days” to make comparisons with other countries, despite her tracking France and Italy.
Hancock was asked over the UK’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance’s previous comment. that less than 20,000 deaths would be a good outcome from the UK.
As the UK figures are already at half that now, he was pressed over whether that outcome can still be achieved.
Hancock said, “The future path of this pandemic in this country is determined by how people act.
“That is why it’s so important people follow the social distancing guidelines.”
He added, “Predictions are not possible precisely because they depend on the behaviour of people.”
“282,374 people have been tested of which 84,279 tested positive.” This is a rise of 4,394, which is fall by 839 cases in 24 hours.
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