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CORONAVIRUS

‘Too late’ for half-term coronavirus circuit breaker to work

Professor Graham Medley, a Sage member, said that ministers had “missed the boat” for a pre-planned two-week lockdown
Professor Graham Medley, a Sage member, said that ministers had “missed the boat” for a pre-planned two-week lockdown

Ministers have left it too late for a “circuit-breaker” lockdown to be fully effective when schools break up for half-term, the senior scientific adviser evaluating the measure has said.

Graham Medley, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said that ministers had “missed the boat” for a pre-planned two-week lockdown, which would be designed to reduce pressure on the NHS while giving businesses and families time to prepare. Sage published minutes on Monday showing that three weeks ago it had called for a circuit breaker. His remarks will increase pressure on the government to explain why it failed to follow the advice.

Professor Medley led a team which showed that a two-week full lockdown, introduced on October 24 to coincide with half