The four-week-long national lockdown could be extended beyond December 2, according to Cabinet Minister Michael Gove.
Speaking on Sky News this morning he told Sophy Ridge that over November the Government would review the data, adding that he hoped the reinfection rate would be “significantly reduced” by December 2.
When asked though asked if the national lockdown could be extended, he replied: “Yes.”
He said: “We want to be in a position where we can – and I believe that this is likely to be the case – have an approach where if we bring down the rate of infection sufficiently we can reduce measures nationally and also reduce measures regionally.
Meanwhile Sage Member Sir Jeremy Farrar warned that the world ‘is not going back to normal’ after December 2 and that Tier 3 restrictions could be imposed across the whole of the country.
Asked what ongoing measures might be necessary when the new lockdown restrictions are eased, Sir Jeremy told BBC’s Andrew Marr: “I think we need to watch what happens with the data at the end of November, beginning of December, before we decide whether to lift these restrictions on December 2, or whether it will be better continuing them.”
He added: “What mustn’t happen is whenever that date comes – December 2 or a little bit later – that suddenly the world goes back to normal. It’s not going to go back to normal immediately.
“I think it will be at least what is already called Tier 3, or Tier 3-plus across the country.”
