Dominic Raab has warned that a “second spike” in UK coronavirus cases would trigger a second lockdown which would “prolong the economic pain we are all going through”.

Speaking at the daily Covid-19 press briefing in Downing Street, the Foreign Secretary insisted that the UK is “making progress through the peak of the virus”.

But Mr Raab, who is deputising for Boris Johnson while he recovers at Chequers after contracting the virus, added: “But we’re not out of the woods yet… that’s why the measures we introduced must remain in place for the time being.

“The greatest risk for us now, if we eased up on our social distancing rules too soon, is that we would risk a second spike in the virus with all the threats to life that would bring and then the risk of a second lockdown which would prolong the economic pain we are all going through.”

He said that testing will “play a really important role in the next phase of the crisis”.

It comes after Downing Street confirmed that less than half of the coronavirus testing capacity was used in the 24 hours up to 9am on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told a Westminster briefing 18,206 tests were carried out over the period in England, Wales and Scotland. But testing capacity over the 24-hour period stood at 41,398.

Also at Wednesday’s briefing, Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, warned disruptive social distancing measures would likely be in place until at least the end of year, when it is hoped a vaccine or effective drugs to treat the virus will be closer to being developed...Read More….

Read Also: Coronavirus: Minister admits low number of tests carried out is ‘really troubling’ and hints at mistakes….

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