The vast majority of Britons back the lockdown rules being used to tackle the coronavirus but have mounting fears it will cripple the economy, a poll has found.
The country supports Boris Johnson’s decision to shut down the country on March 23, but are scared about what it may cost.
It is understood Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will announce on Thursday the restrictions will last until at least May 7.
As much as 19 per cent of mainly younger workers have been rendered unemployed or have been forced to take a lower salary due to the coronavirus crisis
The devastating virus has ripped across Britain, having killed 11,329 and infected 88,621.
The YouGov poll for the Telegraph found 84 per cent of those surveyed expected financial problems due to the lockdown.
As much as 19 per cent of mainly younger workers have been rendered unemployed or have been forced to take a lower salary.
Meanwhile a higher figure have said they feel progressively lonely and unhappy as the mental health impact of the restrictions start to bite.
Meanwhile a higher figure have said they feel progressively lonely and unhappy as the mental health impact of the restrictions start to bite
The poll, which asked more than 2,000 Britons on Sunday, found 48 per cent of the country backs the Government’s lockdown measures.
A staggering 92 per cent said they agreed with: ‘I will probably follow the advice of the Government even if I don’t agree with it or find it pointless.’
Yet 44 per cent feel the PM could have implemented tighter controls as daily updates of people flouting the rules continue to emerge.
YouGov political research manager Chris Curtis said the findings prove tricky for the Cabinet, with it showing people back the lockdown but fear for the economy if it continues.
Germany faces similar difficulties, with polls showing the country is divided over relaxing restrictions.
Another YouGov survey yesterday found 44 per cent are in favour of extending social distancing measures beyond April 19.
But 32 per cent is in favour of easing them and eight per cent wanting to abolish them completely. Twelve per cent want to tighten them further.
Professor Linda Bauld, of the University of Edinburgh, claimed the British public’s strong support to stick to the lockdown measures ‘won’t last’.
She said the Government needs to find a way to tell the nation about how it will be eased out of the restrictions.
It comes as Mr Raab said figures indicate the UK was ‘starting to win this struggle’ against the virus but warned it was ‘still not past the peak’.
It has been three weeks since the lockdown began and the public is now steeling itself for more of the same.
Support for the measures remains high, compliance is generally good and concern about the virus is at the forefront of people’s minds, according to Prof Bauld.
She warned: ‘But this won’t last. The social, economic and health effects of lock down are accumulating.
‘There will come a tipping point when the cost of the current restrictions outweighs the benefits.’
With no official indication of how long the lockdown may last, Prof Bauld said: ‘Sooner rather than later, government needs to share the possible options with the public and be transparent about the costs and benefits of each, rather than continually evading questions on this, as is currently the case.’
This information on what the next steps in the battle against coronavirus may entail would help people to plan their lives while also offer some reassurance, she insists.
This would be ‘particularly important for our young people who feel huge uncertainty about education and employment options in the short term, as well as those experiencing the most adverse outcomes from the restrictions’.
Mr Raab told the daily Downing Street press conference that this week the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) would review the evidence of the effectiveness of social distancing measures.
Professor Linda Bauld, of the University of Edinburgh, claimed the British public’s support of the lockdown ‘won’t last’
He said: ‘We don’t expect to make any changes to the measures currently in place at that point and we won’t until we’re confident, as confident as we realistically can be, that any such changes can be safely made.’
Prof Rowland Kao, of the University of Edinburgh, also pointed out ‘considerable uncertainty’ remains over the number of people who have never been exposed to Covid-19 and therefore have no immunity, compared to those who may have had no discernible symptoms, but may have developed immunity.
This could be a factor in plans to cut back on the lockdown restrictions because if the number with no immunity is high, then any relaxation of controls could expose them to greater risk and may lead to a rise in cases.
Any changes ‘must be done gradually, (and) only initially considering the lowest risk and most vital activities,’ he suggested, adding that it should be followed by a period of continued surveillance with no further reductions in controls.
‘This is so the impact of the most recent changes can be assessed.
Stating that future decisions should only be made when pandemic declines, he said: ‘At the bare minimum, this would be several weeks between decisions points, and possibly longer, with some possibility that restrictions could be increased again depending on the available evidence.’