Dominic Raab: UK’s R level could be as low as 0.5 ahead of next phase

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said the UK’s R level could be as low as 0.5 as the Government prepares to unveil their plans for the next phase of tackling coronavirus.
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Speaking at the Downing Street briefing this afternoon, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the current rate of infection is now between 0.5 and 0.9.

That means the average number of people that one infected person can expect to pass the coronavirus on to is less than 1.

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Mr Raab said: “Today the Cabinet was updated on SAGE’s advice on the progress that we’ve made to date. And as a result of the social distancing measures that we’ve put in place the R level, which signifies the rate of infection, is now between 0.5 and 0.9. The overall number of new cases has been steadily falling and the rate of deaths is also steadily falling.”

Dominic Raab. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)Dominic Raab. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
Dominic Raab. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

Mr Raab said work is ongoing to tackle the virus in areas of concern such as care homes.

He also confirmed Boris Johnson will use a telivised address at 7pm on Sunday to set out the “roadmap” to easing the lockdown.

He said: “This weekend the Prime Minister will set out the next steps which we can responsibly take over the following weeks, guided by the scientific advice and mindful – as we said right from the word go – of taking the right decisions at the right time.

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“Now we can start setting out how we will live and work whilst maintaining the necessary social distancing rules, we can also be clear about those measures which are still necessary to prevent a second peak.”

Mr Raab said the PM’s roadmap for the next phase “contains appropriate measures to be taken at appropriate milestones” adding that these were subject to “very clear conditions”. There will be “detailed guidance to help inform, advise and reassure the public, businesses and other organisations,” he said.

He added that any changes will be “carefully monitored” and said the government will tighten restrictions again if people don’t follow the new rules, or if the R-level goes back up.