Covid-19 Update Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Covid-19 Update

Clive Efford Excerpts
Monday 2nd November 2020

(4 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Boris Johnson Portrait The Prime Minister
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That is the policy very accurately summed up, but for better elucidation and understanding of it I urge people to get on to the website to see exactly what they need to do.

Clive Efford Portrait Clive Efford (Eltham) (Lab)
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I accept the need for extra restrictions in order to get on top of the R rate and bring it down, but it is disturbing that the Government do not seem to have any specific targets that they seek to achieve through this lockdown. When we have the debate on Wednesday, will the Government be coming back with specific targets they want to achieve by 2 December?

Boris Johnson Portrait The Prime Minister
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These measures are time-limited—they elapse on 2 December—but I repeat that the objective is to get the infection rate to stop doubling and to start halving. To do that, we need to get the R down below 1—it is currently estimated to be between 1.1 and 1.3; I think the Office for National Statistics said recently that it was 1.6, but it has been coming down. Our intention is to use this period to get it below 1 and get that infection rate halving, not doubling.