The Prime Minister has admitted he ‘can’t rule out’ plunging the UK into another Covid lockdown, despite the country having only just coming out of two years of on-off economically crippling restrictions.
Boris Johnson previously insisted stay-at-home orders would be a last resort. But the PM and his health chiefs have repeatedly warned no restrictions can be ruled out if a more severe virus strain was to take off.
However, he said easing England’s lockdown last year was ‘irreversible’ and two years of restrictions have just come to an end in the country.
When asked about future lockdowns, Mr Johnson said: ‘I can’t rule out. I can’t say we wouldn’t be forced to do non-pharmaceutical interventions again of the kind we did.’
He said a decision on shutdowns must get the balance right between prioritising public health and saving lives, while acknowledging the impact on the nation’s physical and mental health.
Health chiefs estimate obesity increased by 36 per cent during the pandemic, despite the UK being one of the fattest countries in Europe.
And psychiatrists have blasted the pandemic as the ‘biggest hit’ to mental wellbeing in generations.
It comes as cases are at pandemic highs, with surveillance data estimating one in 12 people in England were infected at the end of March.
But while daily hospitalisations are on par with the January peak and deaths are creeping upwards, official figures show half of admissions and a third of fatalities are now incidental.
When asked about lockdowns in the future, Mr Johnson (pictured today) said: ‘I can’t rule out. I can’t say we wouldn’t be forced to do non-pharmaceutical interventions again of the kind we did’
Mr Johnson said he believes lockdowns ‘did save lives’. Pictured: empty streets around Bank Underground station in London during lockdown in March 2021
Speaking to Conservative MPs Esther McVey and Philip Davies in a GB News interview, which will be screened on Saturday, Mr Johnson said: ‘I think it would be irresponsible of any leader in any democracy to say they are going to rule out something that could save life. And I believe the things that we did save lives.
‘There could be – I’ve got to be absolutely frank with you – there could be a new variant, more deadly, there could be a variant that affects children badly, that we really need to contain.
‘I’m not going to take any options off the table but I don’t think it will happen.’
But the PM admitted on-off restrictions over the last 24 months had caused the country’s obesity rates to soar.
The Government this week brought in rules forcing restaurants, cafes and takeaways with more than 250 employees to include calorie counts on their menu.
Mr Johnson denied the measures equated to a ‘nanny state’, arguing they were necessary to tackle Britain’s growing obesity problem.
He said: ‘Do you know how much fatter we are post-Covid? I think there’s 36 percent more obesity, there’s been a huge increase in obesity.
‘Before the thing began we were already the fattest nation in Europe with the exception of the Maltese.
‘That is a massive charge on the taxpayer. The taxpayer is coughing up huge quantities for the consequence of that obesity.
‘I’m no advertisement for will power, we need to recognise the effects of obesity on our taxes.’
It is estimated that overweight and obesity-related conditions cost the NHS £6.1billion each year.
It comes as nation-wide surveillance studies show Covid prevalence reached its highest ever level in England at the end of last month.
The REACT study, based on swabs of 109,000 people, reported that one in 16 people in England (6.4 per cent) were infected by March 31.
And the Office for National Statistics on Friday claimed more than 4.1million people had the virus on March 26, equivalent to one in 13 being infected.
But official daily data shows Covid cases continued to plunge in Britain, showing No10’s decision to ditch mass testing is muddying the waters of the state of the epidemic.
Original Article
