UK: Cabinet Split Over Decision To Extend Lockdown For Three Or Six Weeks

The Prime Minister directed people only to leave their homes under a list of "very limited purposes", banned public gatherings of more than two people and ordered the closure of non-essential shops.

Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock (2R) and Britain's Chief Medical Officer for England, Chris Whitty (C) arrive at the Cabinet Office in central London on March 9, 2020, ahead of an emergency COBRA meeting into UK's developing coronavirus COVID-19 situation. - Financial markets around the world crashed Monday and a swathe of northern Italy was sealed off as authorities struggled to contain the spread and impact of the deadly coronavirus. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP)

London:  UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's cabinet was split over when to end the country's lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic, with some Ministers claiming that it should continue for another six weeks. Boris Johnson the Prime Minister of UK placed the country on a police-enforced lockdown with drastic new rules in the battle against the novel Coronavirus outbreak. The Prime Minister directed people only to leave their homes under a list of "very limited purposes", banned public gatherings of more than two people and ordered the closure of non-essential shops. The Metro newspaper in its report on Sunday said, "The current social-distancing restrictions were put in place for a period of three weeks on March 23, with the last day due on Monday". However, the government has already declared that these measures will continue past the deadline. As per the reports, it quoted Cabinet source as saying that Ministers were now split between wanting to save lives and wanting to protect the economy, as some fear current action to keep the public safe could create bigger problems for the UK in the future. According to The Sun newspaper, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Priti Patel want the current lockdown to be extended by three weeks, while Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Michael Gove have said that the UK needed more time than that. They were reportedly pushing for a six-week extension, meaning the measures will be lifted on May 25. The Prime Minister was taken to St Thomas' Hospital in central London last Sunday with constant COVID-19 symptoms. On Monday the 55-year-old was taken into intensive care but after three nights was relocated back to the general ward. The Prime Minister was discharged on Sunday but would not return to work immediately. The Cabinet source said there has been a "power vacuum" without Johnson in charge. Under current lockdown measures, members of the public are only allowed to leave their home for their jobs, if they are key workers, daily exercise, or to shop for necessary items such as food or medicine. The WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has previously warned that loosening restrictions ‘could lead to a deadly resurgence’ in Coronavirus across the world.