PM Boris Johnson: 'We are past the peak'

Prime minister Boris Johnson has said the UK is 'past the peak' of the coronavirus and next week the Government will unveil a 'comprehensive plan' to end the lockdown, get transport moving again and restart the economy.

Having recovered from the COVID-19 disease himself, and also having recently celebrated the birth of a new son with Carrie Symonds his fiancée, a somewhat breathless Mr Johnson made the announcement to the nation, arguing we many reasons to be hopeful.

'I can say confirm that for the first time we are past the peak of this disease. We are past the peak and we are on a downward slope and we have so many reasons to be hopeful for the long-term.

'The UK is leading international efforts to find a vaccine. Oxford University has announced a partnership with AstraZeneca to develop what they believe could soon be a way of inoculating ourselves against this disease. But until this day comes and I am afraid, we cannot say when exactly it will be, we are going to have to beat this disease by our growing resolve and ingenuity.

'So I will be setting out a comprehensive plan next week to explain how we can get our economy moving, how we can get our children back into school, back into childcare, and how we can travel to work and make life in the workplace safer. in short how we can continue to suppress the disease and at the same time restart the economy.'