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Coronavirus: Sage asked for swathe of urgent lockdown measures three weeks ago, new documents show

Lost for words: Famous Famous failures in eloquence -  "Ah, bloody hell. It's tricky, isn't it. Oh, dear. Um, um. God. Er", Boris Johnson asked where the Tories should go after losing the general election in 2001 (Daniel Berehulak/Getty)
Lost for words: Famous Famous failures in eloquence - "Ah, bloody hell. It's tricky, isn't it. Oh, dear. Um, um. God. Er", Boris Johnson asked where the Tories should go after losing the general election in 2001 (Daniel Berehulak/Getty)

The government’s scientific advisers recommended a two-week ‘circuit break’ lockdown three weeks ago in a bid to curtail the spread of Covid -19, official documents show.

Sage told ministers a swathe of interventions would be required to reverse the exponential rise in cases.

The minutes from the 21 September meeting of the group were quietly published just hours after Boris Johnson announced new restrictions, including a a new three tier system for local lockdowns, that appeared to fall short of what Sage suggested.

Even Mr Johnson’s own chief medical officer warned the new measures to be introduced in the most severe cases will not work on their own.

Just hours after they were unveiled by the prime minister, Professor Chris Whitty said he was “not confident” they would be enough to stop the disease spreading.

Just one area in England has so far been classified as “very high” risk, Merseyside, where all bars, pubs, and gyms will have to close from Wednesday.