UK Government’s strategy over coronavirus is ‘surprising and concerning’

The former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has questioned Boris Johnson’s strategy in tackling the coronavirus and said it is “concerning.”

Hunt who is the chair of the House of Commons Health select committee questioned the decision not to cancel mass gatherings after Johnson said on Thursday that many more families would “lose loved ones before their time.”

Hunt was asked on BBC Newsnight what he thought about the decision not to cancel large gatherings, he said, “I think it is surprising and concerning that we’re not doing any of it at all when we have just four weeks before we get to the stage that Italy is at.

“You would have thought that every single thing we do in that four weeks would be designed to slow the spread of people catching the virus.”

He added that he is “personally surprised that we’re still allowing external visits to care homes”.

Hunt said the UK is in a “national emergency” and that many people “will be surprised and concerned” that the UK is not moving sooner.

The UK government’s chief scientific officer, Sir Patrick Vallance said at a press conference in Downing Street on Thursday, “it is most likely five to ten thousand people are already infected in the UK with coronavirus.”

Sir Patrick said that we are following a similar trajectory to that of Italy, in terms of numbers and the peak could be 10 to 14 weeks away.

The prime minister said this disease is more dangerous than the common flu and “more families are going to lose loved ones before their time,” he added this is the “worst public health crisis in a generation.”

The Irish prime minister has announced that all schools, colleges and other public facilities are to close in the Republic of Ireland.

Leo Varadkar made a live statement to the nation from Washington DC, where he is due to meet President Donald Trump, he said the emergency measures will take place from 18:00 on Thursday until the 29 March.

On Thursday evening, President Emmanuel Macron addressed France in a televised interview saying all schools and universities across the country are to close.

President Macron gave a televised interview from the Elysée Palace in Paris, he said, that all schools, colleges and universities will close from Monday “until further notice.”

The French President said in an address to the nation, “Despite our efforts, the virus is accelerating.