Social distancing rules being put in place by the Government may need to be kept for most of a year to have the proper impact and protect the NHS from being overwhelmed.
That is according to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) which is advising the Government on its anti-coronavirus policies.
A new report from SAGE says the rules - which have seen people working from home and everything from pubs to schools closed - would need to be in place for months.
The Government published the advice on Friday – a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he expects the tide to be turned in the fight against Covid-19 within 12 weeks.
The scientists say we could switch between periods when we are told to social distance, and periods when the rules are relaxed.
The report reads: "It was agreed that a policy of alternating between periods of more and less strict social distancing measures could plausibly be effective at keeping the number of critical care cases within capacity.
"These would need to be in place for at least most of a year.
"Under such a policy, at least half of the year would be spent under the stricter social distancing measures."
In Scotland first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said it is iunknown how long the rules will last.
She said: "None of us can stand here and say with certainty when we will be in a position to lift these measures."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said we could 'turn the tide' in three months, but couldn't say whether than would mean reaching the peak in three months and starting to see an improvement, or starting to see a return to normal life.
