Coronavirus: Sunny spring weather fuels fears of lockdown busting

Warm, sunny weather has fuelled fears people will venture out and flout the coronavirus lockdown as the restrictions remain in force for the fifth weekend running and the number of deaths continue to rise.

With temperatures reaching up to 22C (71F) in many parts of the country, concerns are mounting that the public could ignore social distancing rules imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and head for the parks and beaches.

Long queues have already been seen after B&Q reopened about half of its UK stores this week, with safety measures in place.

NHS England has reported another 711 deaths, Wales has reported another 23 deaths and Scotland another 47. Northern Ireland has reported another 16 deaths. The Department of Health is due to update the overall figures.

Home Secretary Priti Patel is warning the public to stick to the coronavirus lockdown following signs that travel has increased in recent days.

Speaking ahead of the cabinet minister leading the daily Downing Street press briefing, a Home Office source said: “The vast majority of the public are still doing the right thing.

“However, transport use has ticked up in a way that suggests something more is going on and that has set off alarm bells.

“We know it has been hard but everyone needs to stick with it.

“The more people comply with the rules, and we get the spread of this virus down, the sooner we can think about easing some of the social distancing rules.”

But experts say there is a difference between people using transport and breaking the rules and have criticised government “mixed” messaging.

Susan Michie, professor of health psychology at University College London and a Whitehall adviser, said: “What we have seen this last week is many employers are opening up for business again and asking workers to come back to work and workers travel on transport.

“We must realise some people are responding to what they are being asked to do, they are not flouting the rules.

“I think it very, very difficult when we are getting mixed messages from the government.

“On the one hand stay at home, on the other hand go into non-essential work.

“I think this urgently needs to be dealt with.”

To ensure continued adherence to the rules, Prof Michie stressed the need to provide people with clear messaging, financial security and psychological support.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that people could be allowed to meet up with 10 of their closest family or friends under a future easing of the lockdown – similar to an idea already being discussed in Belgium.

As the UK eyes an exit plan, it has also emerged that talks have been taking place between ministers and the Premier League on re-starting the football season once the government decides the conditions for relaxing the restrictions have been met.

:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Pressure has been growing on the government to spell out how it start lifting the lockdown and re-start the devastated economy.

Adding his voice to the mounting chorus, former chancellor Philip Hammond said the country could not afford to wait until a vaccine becomes available.

With Boris Johnson expected to return to Downing Street next week after recovering from the virus, Mr Hammond said he hoped it would mark a “clear step change” in the government’s response to the crisis.

He told the BBC: “We can’t wait until a vaccine is developed, produced in sufficient quantity and rolled out across the population. The economy won’t survive that long.

“But we are going to have to do it alongside the measures that are in place to protect the population from COVID.

“That’s going to be a much more complex phase of this crisis than the initial acute phase.”

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Sunny spring weather fuels fears of lockdown busting