Corby council leader urging PM not to be "premature" as he plots lockdown exit

Northamptonshire's council leaders and health chiefs are playing down MPs' tub-thumping calls for Boris Johnson to confirm a firm date for a return to normality today (Monday).

A group of more than 70 Tory lockdown sceptics, including Wellingborough's Peter Bone, want the PM to announce firm dates for the easing of restrictions when he reveals his blueprint today.

Mr Bone said: "Once we get to the beginning of May top nine groups will have been vaccinated which is the groups where 99 per cent of deaths occur so we should be able to return to normal from that date."

But Corby council leader Tom Beattie warned that anything "premature" runs the risk of another rise in infections which could lead to a FOURTH lockdown rather than a swift return to normality.

And the county health chief Lucy Wightman insisted that Covid jabs are not a "silver bullet" in the battle against the virus.

■ READ THIS: When is the PM making his big announcement and what could it mean for NorthamptonshireLabour councillor Mr Beattie said: "Throughout the pandemic, I've always been pretty clear about the importance of following science and listening to experts.

"I'd prefer to listen to the public health experts to people like Professor Chris Whitty and others rather than any MP — conservative or labour.

"An MP may well have a view that we can get back to the normal by a particular date. I think we need to get back to normal as soon as we can — but back to what approaches normaility in as safe a fashion as possible.

"Anything premature risks our ability to get back to normality.

"So I'll continue to listen to the advice and follow guidance of people like Lucy Wightman and there colleagues and to the health professionals at national and regional level."

Mr Bone also said last week it would be "absurd" to continue with the lockdown as more people are vaccinated.

More than 158,000 people in Northamptonshire had already received at least a first Covid jab by February 14 — the vast majority of them in the over-70s age bracket or health workers.

Northamptonshire Director of Public Health Lucy Wightman added: "We need to reinforce that the vaccine is not a silver bullet.

"It is one of a number of things that we will continue to need to do and it is not 100 per cent effective even when everybody has had both doses

"We need to be led by data and understand the balance of risk for different age groups.

"We will still find people who are younger and have no pre-disposing conditions will still catch Covid and sadly die.

"We have to make sure that people understand the vaccine is not the answer to everything and I am confident we will still need measures such as facemasks, and social distancing and such like when we're well into the vaccine programme."

The Prime Minister is set to announce his plans in Parliament later on Monday with some students returning to the classroom for the first time this year from March 8.

Restrictions on people mixing are likely to be lifted at a slower rate, however.

And Northampton Borough Council's leader believes the PM is right to be cautious.

Jonathan Nunn said: "The absolute exact time to get back to normal is when it is safe to do and it's harder to apply that to a calendar.

"A lot depends on human behaviour — and there are no guarantees on that — and on the behaviour of virus, When we're seeing these new strains appearing it's very hard to give a predictable date with something so unpredictable."