Boris Johnson: ‘Some signs’ lockdown is starting to have an impact on Covid-19 surge

Prime Minister's Questions
Boris Johnson speaks during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday
PA

Boris Johnson has said there are "some signs" lockdown is starting to have an impact on the surge in Covid-19 cases.

It came as the Prime Minister announced that the NHS will launch a round-the-clock vaccination service as soon as possible.

Mr Johnson said the process of protecting people from coronavirus was already going “exceptionally fast” but “at the moment the limit is on supply” of the vaccine.

The Prime Minister told MPs that it was “early days” on whether the lockdown was having an effect, but that the measure was impacting “many parts” of the country.

At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, he told MPs: “It’s very, very important to stress...these are early days..we are now seeing the beginnings of some signs that that is starting to have an effect in many parts of the country but by no means everywhere.

“It’s early days and people must keep their discipline, keep enforcing the rules, and work together to roll-out that vaccine programme.”

There were 45,533 Covid cases confirmed by labs across the country yesterday, a lower figure than in the past few days.

British PM Johnson takes questions at parliament in London
The PM did not rule out imposing stronger lockdown measures
REUTERS

Mr Johnson, though, stressed he did not rule out imposing tougher Covid-19 restrictions if necessary.

“We keep things under constant review and we will continue to do so,” he emphasised.

“And certainly if there is any need to toughen up restrictions, which I don’t rule out, we will of course come to this House.”

Prime Minister's Questions
Sir Keir Starmer accused the Prime Minister of being “so slow to act”
PA

However, Sir Keir Starmer accused the Prime Minister of being “so slow to act” when infection rates began to surge in December.

The Labour leader said: “The last PMQs was on December 16. The Prime Minister told us then that we were seeing, in his words, a significant reduction in the virus. He told us then that there was no need for endless lockdowns and no need to change the rules about Christmas mixing.

“Since then, since that last PMQs, 17,000 people have died of Covid, 60,000 people have been admitted to hospital and there has been over a million new cases. How did the Prime Minister get it so wrong and why was he so slow to act?”

The Prime Minister responded: “Of course, what (Sir Keir) fails to point out is that on December 18, two days later, the Government was informed of the spread of the new variant and the fact that it spreads roughly 50-70% faster than the old variant, and that is why it is indeed correct to say that the situation today is very troubling indeed.”

He added: “This is the toughest of times, but we can see the way forward.”

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