Boris Johnson spoke to the House of Commons on Monday afternoon to update MPs on the current state of the country in the fight against coronavirus. The Prime Minister also defended his initial move to contain the virus by implementing regional and local restrictions. He insisted that now was the time for national measures as the number of cases was quickly spiralling out of control.
Despite his confidence another lockdown was the right move, Mr Johnson also addressed his critics and Tory rebels who have threatened to oppose the Government’s plan.
He reiterated the many issues that the UK could face if they avoided another lockdown and more restrictive measures while highlighting the important role the NHS plays in the fight against the deadly virus.
He said: “I want to thank the millions who have put up with local restrictions sometimes for months on end.
“I want to thank them and the local leaders who have understood the gravity of the situation.
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“We will continue as far as possible to adopt a pragmatic and local approach in the months ahead.
“But we are fighting a disease, so when the data changes we must change course too and to those who believe we should resist further national measures, let me spell out the moral and medical disaster we face.”
The Prime Minister then reiterated why the NHS was such a vital service during the pandemic and how it needed to be protected.
He said: “If we allow our health system to be overwhelmed, exactly as the data now suggests, that would not only be a disaster for thousands of covid patients as their survival rate would fall, we would also reach a point where the NHS was no longer there for everyone.
He continued: “If we fail to get coronavirus under control it is the sheer weight of demand, from Covid patients that would deprive other patients of the care they need.
Cancer treatment, heart surgery and other life-saving procedures could be put at risk.
“This is what could happen if we don’t get the virus under control.”
