VIRUS UK
What did Matt Hancock say in today’s coronavirus press briefing?
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MATT Hancock chaired today's coronavirus press conference alongside Stephen Powis, Medical Director at NHS England and John Newton, coordinator of the UK coronavirus testing programme.
The Health Secretary confirmed the UK government had surpassed their target of 100,000 tests per day.
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What was said at today's press conference?
Matt Hancock confirmed the UK government had surpassed their coronavirus testing target of 100,000 a day, with 122,347 done on the last day of April.
A huge ramping up on the final day of the month meant an extra 40,000 tests were done, the Government's data showed.
He thanked everyone for their help, including Yodel who "got us out of a real hole this week" by delivering tests.
He told the nation at the No10 briefing: "At the beginning of last month I set a goal, that anyone who needs a test should get a test.
"That as a nation we should achieve 100,000 per day by the end of the month.
";I knew it was an audacious goal, but we needed an audacious goal because testing is so important.
"I can announce we have met our goal.
"This unprecedented expansion in British testing capability is an incredible achievement."
The health secretary said testing was only the first part of the government's approach.
He said it will now move towards track and tracing measures.
He said tracking who has the virus and who they have been in contact with will drive the infection rate down, and "the lower it is the more effective it will be".
"Our goal must be freedom," said the health secretary.
"We will not lift measures until it is safe to do so, but we care about the restoration of social freedom and economic freedom."
He says testing, tracking and tracing will help target lockdown measures to where they are needed "with much more precision".
"But for now, we must retain spirit and resolve that has had such impact so far," he added.
Matt Hancock went on to say now the UK has past the peak, fertility services will be restored.
"Few families have been untouched by progress in the science and I know how time sensitive and how important it is for families affected," he adds.
"When I say thank you to all those staying at home, of course I'm saying thank you on behalf of the lives you are saving - but also on behalf of the lives the NHS can now create."
What was said at yesterday's press conference?
Boris Johnson confirmed "for the first time we are past the peak of this disease and on the downward slope".
He promised next week the government will release a "comprehensive plan" to ease lockdown, but didn't give a date of when that would be.
He said he will only be making tweaks to the lockdown if the R rate of transmission stays low.
Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, said scientists think the R rate is currently between 0.6 and 0.9 in the UK.
He confirmed the number of hospital admissions and total number of cases is coming down.
He said the UK will need to "stick with what we're doing" to make sure the R number continues to fall.
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The measures are set to be reviewed by May 7, and the government insists nothing will change before then.
The PM also apologised for "not being part of the trio for so long" and thanked everyone for "doing such a good job in my absence."
He thanked the NHS, both for his care when he was in intensive care with Covid-19 and for the birth of his son on Wednesday.
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