Coronavirus: Dominic Raab says UK ‘must keep going’ with lockdown measures

Dominic Raab has said the UK “must keep going” with lockdown measures as he warned against giving coronavirus “a second chance to kill more people”.

The foreign secretary, speaking at Downing Street’s daily briefing, said the government did not expect to be able to give more details on when coronavirus lockdown measures might be lifted until the end of next week.

He reiterated social distancing “will have to stay in place” until there was evidence that “clearly shows we’ve moved beyond the peak” of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We are not done yet, we must keep going,” Mr Raab said.

Although there are “early signs” the lockdown measures – which have been in place for approaching three weeks – are “having the impact we need to see”, the foreign secretary stressed it was “too early to say that conclusively”.

“The deaths are still rising and we haven’t yet reached the peak of the virus, so it’s still too early to lift the measures that we put in place,” he said.

“We must stick to the plan.”

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, which advises ministers, will meet next week to discuss the latest evidence on the spread of coronavirus across the UK.

Ahead of an Easter weekend for which warm and sunny weather is forecast, Mr Raab added fresh emphasis to the government’s instruction for people to stay at home.

“After all the efforts everybody has made, after all the sacrifices so many people have made, let’s not ruin it now,” he said.

“Let’s not undo the gains we’ve made, let’s not waste the sacrifices so many people have made.

“We mustn’t give the coronavirus a second chance to kill more people and to hurt our country.”