British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is back at work Monday after recovering from the coronavirus, telling his country’s residents that “the end of the first phase of this conflict” is near, but the lockdowns aren’t going away anytime soon.
Johnson made the comments outside his 10 Downing Street office after being sidelined for three weeks while battling COVID-19. He said Britain had reached the moment of “maximum risk” in its outbreak – yet current coronavirus prevention measures are likely to be extended beyond May 7.
“I refuse to throw away all the effort and the sacrifice of the British people and to risk a second major outbreak and huge loss of life and the overwhelming of the [health system],” Johnson added.
The 55-year-old leader appeared thinner but better-rested than when he was last seen in public earlier this month.
The United Kingdom, as of Monday, has 154,037 confirmed coronavirus cases and 20,795 deaths, according to statistics from Johns Hopkins University.
Despite the death toll, Johnson’s government is under mounting pressure to set out a blueprint for easing the lockdown that has sharply curtailed business and daily life since March 23.
More than 1.5 million Britons have applied for welfare benefits in the past month, and the government’s economic watchdog says the economy could shrink by 35 percent by June 1.