National lockdown could be extended beyond December 2, says Michael Gove

The new four-week-long national lockdown could be extended beyond December 2, according to Cabinet Minister Michael Gove.  

Mr Gove told Sky's Sophy Ridge this morning that over November the Government would review the data, adding that he hoped the reinfection rate would be "significantly reduced" by December 2.

But asked if the national lockdown could be extended, he replied: "Yes."

He said: "We want to be in a position where we can - and I believe that this is likely to be the case - have an approach where if we bring down the rate of infection sufficiently we can reduce measures nationally and also reduce measures regionally.

Sage member Sir Jeremy Farrar has also suggested restrictions could be extended beyond the Government's December 2 projected end date.  

Lockdown should be extended for another couple of weeks prior to the Christmas period if  infections, hospital admissions and deaths have not dropped sufficiently, Mr Farrar told BBC's Andrew Marr. 

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