Coronavirus: Boris Johnson lifts UK sex ban, deflects questions on lockdown strategy

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has lifted the UK’s sex ban as he battled questions on the country’s COVID-19 death toll and lockdown strategy.

Boris Johnson lifted the UK’s “bonk ban” as he deflected claims that the nation’s coronavirus death toll would have been halved if its lockdown was introduced a week earlier.

The British Prime Minister eased restrictions on couples staying overnight at each other’s houses, with “single bubbles” to be introduced from this weekend.

However, Mr Johnson was grilled over his lockdown strategy, with a former adviser claiming that the UK’s death toll, now the worst in Europe, was made worse by a late lockdown.

Professor Neil Ferguson, who was a key government adviser until he quit after he was caught meeting up with his married lover Antonia Staats, dropped a bombshell in a parliamentary committee hearing.

“The epidemic was doubling every three to four days before lockdown interventions were introduced,” he said.

“So, had we introduced lockdown measures a week earlier, we would have reduced the final death toll by at least a half.

“So whilst I think the measures, given what we knew about this virus then in terms of its transmission and fatality, were warranted, certainly had we introduced them earlier we would have seen many fewer deaths.”

Boris Johnson lifted the UK’s “bonk ban” as he deflected claims that the nation’s coronavirus death toll would have been halved if its lockdown was introduced a week earlier. Picture: AFP

The UK government has been under increasing pressure as the death toll passed 52,000.

Mr Johnson, who fronted a press conference after Prof Ferguson’s statements were aired, deflected repeated questions about the damaging claims.

“All such judgments will need to be examined in the fullness of time,” he said.

Mr Johnson imposed a full lockdown on March 23, however he had been pleading with people to avoid pubs and cafes the week prior.

The easing of restrictions announced on Wednesday Australian time also includes allowing grandparents to hug their grandchildren for the first time in three months.

The rules were targeted at single people, including grandparents, who had been lonely during the lockdown.

However, grandparents were only allowed to form a bubble with one other household, forcing them into a difficult choice if they have several children and grandchildren.

There has been fierce debate in the UK about plans to open schools, with the government accepting many students will not be back in a classroom until at least September.

MORE NEWS:

Maddie suspect ‘boasted of torture’

Where jobseekers should be looking for work

Prince Philip marks 99th birthday in iso

JK Rowling reveals shock sex assault

The 2m social distancing rule currently in places means that schools can only take as few as half of their students because of a shortage of space.

Pubs have been pleading for the distance to be dropped to 1m, to allow them to reopen as scheduled on July 4.

Only a third would be allowed to open under the 2m rule.

Mr Johnson said the advice was being reviewed.

“As we drive this disease down, as we get the incidence down, working together, I want to make sure that we keep that two-metre rule under constant review,” he said.

[e-mail]

Originally published as Coronavirus: Boris Johnson lifts UK sex ban, deflects questions on lockdown strategy