The UK government has now extended the current lockdown situation for at least another 3 weeks.
The news was announced by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Dominic Raab, during today’s daily briefing on COVID-19, saying: “The government has decided that the current measures must remain in place for at least the next three weeks.”
Raab explained the government’s decision to extend the lockdown was to prevent a a second peak of the virus if measures were relaxed too soon.
He added: “The worst thing that we could do now is ease up too soon – and allow a second peak of the virus to hit the NHS and to hit the British people.”
The UK has currently been in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic for just over three and a half weeks, with the strict measures forcing the closure of schools, gyms, offices and many more public spaces. Under the lockdown guidelines, people are also only allowed to leave their homes to buy essential goods, for one hour of exercise or if they are key workers.
The extension of the lockdown was announced a few hours after it was revealed 13,279 people have died from coronavirus in the UK so far.