Covid: Boris Johnson 'confident' UK will have 'as normal a Christmas as possible'

Video report by ITV News Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks

Boris Johnson has said he is "confident" that Britons will "be able to have as normal a Christmas as possible", despite the raft of coronavirus restrictions in place across the UK.

The prime minister added that if people follow rules he has "no doubt" that he'll be able to "get things open before Christmas as well".

Mr Johnson was holding a Downing Street press conference in a bid to encourage people to follow the rules on the first day of England's month long lockdown.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said having a more normal Christmas is "significantly dependent" on how "successful" the latest lockdown is in bringing down levels of coronavirus.

"We've got a completely shared endeavour to knock this thing off its perch," he added.

Responding to a question from ITV News, Mr Johnson said: "If we follow this package of measures in the way that we can and we have done before, I have no doubt people will be able to have as normal a Christmas as possible and that we will be able to get things open before Christmas as well."

ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston has more analysis on the UK's Covid crisis:

He said the four-week coronavirus lockdown in England will be enough to have a "real impact" on the spread of the disease.

The prime minister also announced a fund of £15 million which is being provided to councils to help them provide rough sleepers with accommodation through the winter.

He said since the start of the coronavirus, the government had "helped over 29,000 rough sleepers off the streets, two thirds of whom are now in settled accommodation".

He told the press conference: "Today we’re announcing a further £15 million to help councils offer safe accommodation for people who are sleeping rough or at risk of becoming homeless.

"This programme will help areas that need additional support most during the restrictions and throughout the winter."

Watch the Downing Street briefing in full:

Sir Simon said the second wave of coronavirus is "real and it's serious", as he urged people to follow all the rules.

He said there are currently 11,000 coronavirus patients in NHS hospitals across England, which is the equivalent of having 22 hospitals completely full.

There are concerns that as Covid cases rise again, the number of patients on waiting lists will go up too as operations are cancelled again. Credit: PA

Sir Simon was asked how confident he was that NHS capacity would be sufficiently relieved by the end of the lockdown on December 2.

"The infections that are already out there in different parts of the country last week and this week, they will be next week's hospitalisations and the week after," Sir Simon said.

He said the number of Covid-19 patients in some hospitals is "significantly over" levels from the first peak of the virus.

But he added how he's "hoping and expecting" that the NHS would not see a "large further increase in hospitalisations"

The prime minister wrapped up the press conference by asking people to "stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives".

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