Boris Johnson on January 13th.
Photographer: Ben Stansall / AFP / Getty Images
Photographer: Ben Stansall / AFP / Getty Images
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there were signs that the closure of the national coronavirus was working, but warned that it was “early days” and that people should abide by the rules.
He did not rule out tightening restrictions if necessary, but told the House of Commons that the existing rules could potentially help reduce infections. England is in the second week of its third national exclusion, with schools closed to most pupils and people ordered to stay at home.
“We are now seeing the beginnings of some signs that it is having an effect in many parts of the country, but by no means everywhere,” Johnson said Wednesday. “These are early days and people need to maintain their discipline, apply the rules and work together to set up the vaccination program.”
British rule-breakers are experienced as hospitals with Covid swamps
The prime minister said the rules were being kept under ‘continuous review’, but made it clear he wanted the country out of the closure as soon as possible. “No one can doubt the serious damage that people’s mental health, work, livelihoods are causing,” he said.
Johnson also confirmed that the government is working against offering coronavirus vaccines, telling lawmakers: “We will go 24/7 as soon as possible.”
This was apparently in conflict with his own official spokesman, who told reporters earlier this week that there had been “no scrambling” for appointments during the night. Mass vaccination centers are currently open 7 days a week from 08:00 to 20:00.