Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reported to be considering a two-week-long national lockdown in a bid to stop the second wave of coronavirus.
According to the Daily Mail, Professor Chris Whitty wants a new two-week national lockdown.
SAGE expert Anthony Costello, tweeted on Wednesday night: "I’m hearing from a well-connected person that government now thinks, in absence of testing, there are 38,000 infections per day. Chris Whitty is advising PM for a two week national lockdown."
SAGE is the panel of scientists and experts advising the Government on coronavirus.
Health Minister Edward Argar has played down the reports that the Government is considering a two-week national lockdown as coronavirus cases continue to rise.
“It is not something I have seen within the department,” he told Sky News.
“The Prime Minister has been very clear on this. He doesn’t want to see another national lockdown. He wants to see people abiding by the regulations and making the local lockdowns work.”
With further lockdowns expected to be announced in North East England, Mr Argar said the region was seeing a spike in cases similar to that in the North West.
“In the North East we are seeing a spike in infections. It is exactly what we have seen in the North West. We monitor that rate. Where we need to, we step in and take action,” he said.
Mr Argar said that in the North West, the rise had been driven in part by people not adhering to the social distancing requirements.
“Obviously a nighttime economy will fuel that with people having been out late into the evening.”
