The British must prepare for a " long period " of containment because of the new coronavirus, warned Michel Grove, the right arm of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
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The government decreed a general containment of the population on Monday for at least three weeks, in an attempt to stop the spread of the epidemic which left 1019 dead and contaminated 17,089 people in the United Kingdom.
" I cannot make an exact prediction but I think everyone should prepare for a long time during which these measures will remain in place, " said Michael Gove on the BBC.
" I would have liked to have been able to predict when it will all end, but it is crucial for the moment that we respect the strict guidelines that have been established in the area of social distancing in the coming weeks ," he added.
Letter to 30 million households
In the Sunday Times , epidemiologist Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London, who advises the government, estimated that the containment should remain in place " probably until the end of May, possibly even early June." May is optimistic . ”
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In a letter to 30 million British households, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the situation would " get worse before it gets better " and that compliance with confinement rules would allow a "return to normal " more quickly.
The head of government himself tested positive for Covid-19 after developing " mild symptoms ", but continues to lead the response to the coronavirus, according to Downing Street.
