Lockdown restrictions could be in place across the UK for the next six months until vaccines are available, England's chief medical officer has warned.
Chris Whitty said the curbs could be in place "on and off" until April, as he gave a presentation to more than 130 MPs, explaining that the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care will surpass the April peak in the north of England within 22 days, the Times reports.
It comes as ministers prepared to outline a new three-tier local lockdown system next week - which would use a traffic light system to demonstrate the severity of lockdown measures - which may see the most vulnerable being told to stay at home for months.
But members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) have warned that the introduction of further restrictions on pubs and restaurants in northern England are unlikely to bring rising infections down. One of the experts told the Guardian that a circuit breaker-style intervention should have been introduced in England weeks ago.
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