Sadiq Khan has said that London is on alert to be placed into lockdown as coronavirus cases rise significantly.
It comes as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has said that he will do everything in his power to prevent a second national lockdown that would be devastating to the economy, especially small businesses.
The full Statement from the Mayor of London says: “The Prime Minister has said that we are now seeing the start of a second wave of COVID-19 across the UK.
“Londoners should also know that I am extremely concerned by the latest evidence I’ve seen today from public health experts about the accelerating speed at which COVID-19 is now spreading here in London.
“This is made worse by the uncertainty caused by the lack of testing capacity in the capital. This afternoon I held an emergency meeting with London council leaders, the Government and Public Health England to discuss the next steps.
“It is increasingly likely that, in London, additional measures will soon be required to slow the spread of the virus.
“We will be considering some of the measures which have already been imposed in other parts of the UK. I am of the firm view that we should not wait, as happened six months ago, for this virus to again spiral out of control before taking action.
“The best thing for both public health and the economy is new restrictions imposed early, rather than a full lockdown when it’s too late – but the Government must urgently ensure there is a fully functioning testing system.
“I strongly urge all Londoners to be as cautious as possible over this weekend. Please think very carefully about your actions – strictly follow social distancing rules, regularly wash your hands and wear a face covering to help reduce the spread of the virus.”
As the covid-19 cases rise, London is now registering 497.1 per 100,000 it has been reported.
