Coronavirus: Sage asked for swathe of urgent lockdown measures three weeks ago, new documents show

The government’s scientific advisers recommended a two-week ‘circuit break’ lockdown three weeks ago in a bid to curtail the spread of Covid -19, official documents show.

Sage told ministers a swathe of interventions would be required to reverse the exponential rise in cases.

The minutes from the 21 September meeting of the group were quietly published just hours after Boris Johnson announced new restrictions, including a a new three tier system for local lockdowns, that appeared to fall short of what Sage suggested.

Even Mr Johnson’s own chief medical officer warned the new measures to be introduced in the most severe cases will not work on their own.

Just hours after they were unveiled by the prime minister, Professor Chris Whitty said he was “not confident” they would be enough to stop the  disease spreading.

Just one area in England has so far been classified as  “very high” risk, Merseyside, where all bars, pubs, and gyms will have to close from Wednesday.

The Sage minutes show the scientists recommended that a series of measures be considered for “immediate” introduction> 

These included a “circuit breaker”, which they defined as a short period of lockdown, to cut the number of cases.

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Also on the list was the closure of all bars, restaurants, indoor gyms, and hairdressers, as well as a ban on all contact with members of another household inside a home.

The scientists also advised that ministers should consider closing universities and limiting teaching to online unless face-to-face contact was deemed “essential”.

The fifth recommendation, which was adopted by the government soon after, was that all those who could should be advised to work from home.

Sage admitted the extra restrictions would hurt the economy.

The minutes state: “All these interventions listed above have associated costs in terms of health and wellbeing and many interventions will affect the poorest members of society to a greater extent. Measures will be needed urgently to mitigate these effects and to achieve equity and social justice.”