BRITAIN’s lockdown could get even stricter if Brits go out on the Bank Holiday weekend, the Culture Secretary has warned.
Oliver Dowden made the warning ahead of the stand-in Prime Minister Dominic Raab chairing an emergency Cobra meeting on extending the lockdown.
The Foreign Secretary will this afternoon hear advice on the impact of the restrictions so far.
But today Mr Dowden has warned they could get even tougher.
He said: “Of course when we have the opportunity to change it, we will, but that is not the moment now.
“Cobra will meet today to determine that process and what evidence to consider.
“We said we would review them after three weeks. But reviewing them isn’t saying we will stop them. They remain in place until they change.
“We’ll be analysing that evidence and determining appropriate stage at which to either enhance or change the measures we are taking”.
No10 has stressed it is unlikely any further measures are on the way – but said nothing would be ruled out to keep Brits safe.
Ministers fear relaxing the lockdown too soon could kill many thousands more, with the peak of the virus thought to still be ten days away — on April 18.
The daily death rate hit 938 yesterday, with 60,7333 total cases reported by the NHS.
At least five police chief constables are said to have already asked ministers to consider being tougher with the public.
According to The Guardian, options include preventing people driving long distances and a law to enforce the government’s one exercise a day limit.
A senior officer complained: “People are still driving for a long time under the excuse of ‘exercise,’ and to places they do not need to be.
“The Easter bank holiday is one of the busiest times of the year. I have no new powers for this weekend.”
Yesterday Chancellor Rishi Sunak slapped down demands for a timeline to end the lockdown.
He told the Downing Street press conference: “Rather than speculate about the future, we should focus here and now on the present.”
Before falling ill, Boris Johnson pledged to review the lockdown on Easter Monday, April 13 — three weeks after it began on March 23.
But Downing Street is seriously concerned that people may defy the advice and head out to enjoy 24C (75F) bank holiday sunshine.
Mr Raab will today give a firm indication that Brits can expect to be locked down for weeks longer and will again urge them to stay indoors as much as possible.
The Government will then formally set an extension early next week — after analysing three weeks’ data.
A senior government source said yesterday: “Nobody is going to argue about extending the lockdown into May.
“Look at where the peak is now expected.
“It’s becoming obvious that’s where we’re heading.
“It would be seriously negligent not to do that.”
A senior minister added: “The peak is forecast for April 20.
“Only after that can we even begin to think about a controlled step down. It may be that the restrictions can be more easily lifted for certain sectors of the economy more than others.”
There is even a possibility the announcement could be delayed as long as possible to give the PM the chance to recover from coronavirus before the decision is made.
Experts have warned the PM could be out of action for as long as a month as he recovers from needing treatment in intensive care.
Patients who are ill enough to need intensive care treatment from coronavirus are looking at a long road to recovery – including the “fighter” PM.
Mr Johnson has had oxygen treatment in hospital but is breathing on his own and has not needed ventilation.
Political leaders from across Britain will unite to launch a Stay at Home This Easter campaign immediately after the Cobra meeting.
Attending by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, it will urge Brits not to put lives at risk over the Easter weekend.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan yesterday warned the capital was “nowhere near” being able to lift measures.
The lockdown is expected to be ended in stages amid Treasury fears that businesses won’t survive past June.
A list of options is being drawn up to remove the restrictions once the number of hospital admissions begins to fall.
Housing and Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick previously suggested the lockdown could be gradually eased “in the weeks to come”.
