Coronavirus UK: Cobra meeting to decide if Lockdown is extended ‘until May’ as peak is ‘still 10 days away’

A Cobra meeting is to be held today where ministers will discuss possible extensions to the lockdown in the UK carrying on until May, the final decision will rest with the PM who is still recovering in St Thomas Hospital, London.

IN Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s absence, stand-in Dominic Raab will as his representative, chair today’s Cobra meeting. Initially, the strict lockdown was to be reviewed on Easter Monday, but it is reportedly feared people will flout the rules this weekend.

The government is expected to extend the lockdown and it is feared that they will agree on extending the period into May, which is not good news for businesses already suffering badly from the shutdown.

A senior government spokesman said: “Nobody is going to argue about extending the lockdown into May.

“Look at where the peak is now expected. It’s becoming obvious that’s where we’re heading, it would be seriously negligent not to do that.”

What is a Cobra meeting?

A Cobra meeting involves a cross-departmental committee that comes together to respond to national emergencies. Its aim is to make fast, effective decisions in a crisis and coordinate the response of the central government.

The committee brings together senior government ministers and civil servants, security and intelligence officials, military chiefs and leaders of the emergency services and councils, depending on the nature of the crisis.