UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock Says Virus Battle is Being Won

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that the battle against the coronavirus is being won, but it is far from being finished.

Hancock was speaking at the daily Downing Street briefing today(June 1), and announced the lowest daily death rate in over two months.

111 deaths were confirmed in the UK, taking the total to 39,045.

The Health Secretary said the Covid-19 battle was going well, but added that the “disease is not done yet”.

The briefing was relatively short compared with other sessions, on the day when England saw reductions in lockdown restrictions, including permission for small groups of people to meet.

Hancock was asked if THE government would reimpose some of the more severe lockdown measures if infection rates went up again.

He stated he would do so, either across the country or on a more local level if it was required.

He added that local action to deal with local flare-ups was an important part of the “tool kit” to try and prevent a resurgence.

Another question was over the government´s change in advice in shielding the most vulnerable people.

The minister stated that the advice, which permits those in the shielded group to go outside with one member of their own household and to meet one other person, was only altered when it was “safe and ready to do so”.

He added that it was a “small but important step” to helping those who had shown “extraordinary perseverance” by sticking by the rules and not leaving their homes for 10 weeks.