Boris Johnson has said the UK “can turn the tide” on coronavirus within 12 weeks, as he announced trials on a vaccine would begin over the next month.
The prime minister said he was “absolutely confident” the UK could “send the coronavirus packing”, but only if people followed government advice on social distancing.
His comments came as the Queen issued a message to the nation which said the UK was “entering a period of great concern and uncertainty”, adding that “our nation’s history has been forged by people and communities coming together to work as one”.
The Queen, who is now in Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh, said: “Many of us will need to find new ways of staying in touch with each other and making sure that loved ones are safe – I am certain we are up to that challenge.
“You can be assured that my family and I stand ready to play our part.”
It comes as UK deaths reached 137 after the NHS said a further 29 people had died in England, three in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland.
Mr Johnson, speaking in Downing Street, said: “We can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks and I’m absolutely confident that we can send coronavirus packing in this country.
“But only if we all take the steps that we’ve outlined, that is vital, that’s how we’re going to reduce the peak and once we’ve achieved that and I think that we will, if we take the steps I’ve said, then the scientific progress that we’ve been making will really start coming into play.”
Mr Johnson added: “UK experts, scientists, expect to start trials for the first vaccine within a month. And above all we’re getting better at testing.
“We’re in negotiations today to buy a so-called antibody test, as simple as a pregnancy test which can tell whether you have had the disease and it’s early days, but if it works as its proponents claim, then we will buy literally hundreds of thousands of these kits as soon as practicable.
In response to the growing crisis, the Bank of England cut interest rates for a second time this afternoon to try and support business, bringing them down to 0.1% from 0.25%.
Interest rates are now at the lowest ever in the Bank’s 325-year history.
Emergency legislation giving ministers greater powers to deal with the Covid-19 crisis was also published this afternoon.
The Coronavirus Bill – totalling 329 pages – enables action to increase the available health and social care workforce, ease the burden on frontline staff, slow the spread of the virus, manage the deceased with respect and support people through the crisis.
Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg told MPs that all stages of the Bill would be considered on Monday, before it progresses to the Lords later in the week.
The legislation set out powers for the police to detain people suspected of having coronavirus and send them for testing. People who fail to do so could be fined up to £1,000.
Other measures include powers for ministers to write to an operator of a port requiring their operation be suspended and for events or gatherings to be cancelled.
