COVID: Government denies claims of 'firebreak lockdown' in October

As Scottish students headed back to school last month, the country also saw a rise in daily COVID infections along with it. Now that schools across the rest of the UK have been opening up again, experts fear the same trend will follow. While another full lockdown will be highly unlikely, an anonymous member of the Scientific Advisory Group of Emergencies (SAGE) has revealed to Thei, that the government has a back-up plan if numbers get overwhelming.

Firebreak lockdown

The SAGE source said the UK may be entering an 'extended peak' of infections and hospitalisations. Currently, around 41,000 cases are being recorded every day, while daily admissions in hospitals have been less than 1,000. Although the number of COVID patients are far less than what it was last winter, the source says it’s necessary to take precautionary measures to ensure things don’t get worse. They explain:

This is essentially the precautionary break that Sage suggested last year.

It would be sensible to have contingency plans, and if a lockdown is required, to time it so that it has minimal economic and societal impact.

They disclosed that if hospitalisations increase to an extent in which the NHS fails to keep up, authorities will introduce some restrictions during the school half-term period at the end of October. During this period, students get a one-week holiday from school, and the government plans on extending it to two weeks.

Thei also claims that Johnson could potentially re-introduce measures such as the wearing of masks and social distancing.

Clearing up the claims

But earlier today (7 September), vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi, said that he was unaware of any such ‘firebreak’ plans in October. He spoke on BBC Breakfast saying:

No, I haven't seen any ... I know where this question comes from. The i newspaper was reporting that they think there could be a possible lockdown.

It is through the booster programme that I hope ... we can transition the virus from pandemic to endemic status and deal with it year in, year out - it is going to be with us for many years - but not have to close down our economy or take the severe measures we had to sadly take in December of last year.