Matt Hancock blames spread of coronavirus on ‘public behaviour’ rather than government policy

Matt Hancock has said that it was the public’s job to stop the virus, and that its spread was ‘down to people’s behaviour’.

Speaking this morning about the possibility of a new national lockdown, Matt Hancock told Sky News: “We don’t rule anything out, and we’ve shown repeatedly that we will look at the public health advice and we will take the public health advice in terms of what is needed to control the spread of the disease.

“This new variant is much easier to catch, it is much more transmissible, and we’re now seeing the effect of that in lots of different parts of the country, unfortunately.

“And it means that whereas the old Tier 3 was able to contain the old variant, that is proving increasingly difficult in all parts of the country.”

When asked if Tier 4 restrictions were working, Hancock said: “It is down to people’s behaviour, frankly. What matters is, yes of course, the rules that we put in place, but it is also about how people act.

“And frankly what I would say is this: it is critical that everybody in the country does all that they can to reduce the spread of the virus.”

When his remarks were challenged, he said that his comments were not about ‘blame’, but instead ‘how we collectively as a society keep this under control for the next couple of months until the vaccines make us safe’.

He refused to confirm whether a new national lockdown or school closures would happen, despite teachers revolting over plans to reopen schools.

This week, most of England’s primary schools reopen, with secondary schools remaining closed until January 18th. 

Just this morning, the unions representing school staff – the GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, UNISON and Unite – signed a statement branding the government’s handling as ‘chaotic’. 

They said: “Bringing all pupils back into classrooms while the rate of infection is so high is exposing education sector workers to serious risk of ill-health and could fuel the pandemic.” 

They called for a pause to reopening for all but vulnerable children and those of key workers, adding they wanted to see a move to remote learning and vaccinating school staff.

Responding to Boris Johnson’s claims that schools were safe, they said: “Instead of casually asserting that schools are safe, the Prime Minister should sit down with unions to discuss a joint approach to ensuring safe working arrangements in all schools and prioritising enabling all pupils have the equipment and access they need to receive a high standard of remote learning until the safety of them and the staff in their school can be guaranteed.”

Mr Hancock, when asked about concerns regarding the safety of schools, stated: “It is also clear that the proportion of teachers who catch coronavirus is no higher than the rest of the population.

“So there is clear public health advice behind the position that we have taken and that is what people should follow because, of course, education is very important as well, especially for people’s long-term health.”

Shadow education secretary, Kate Green, told the BBC on Monday morning that there needed to be a ‘clear understanding’ among the public to ‘stay at home’, calling for a ‘stronger set’ of coronavirus restrictions. 

She said: “It is very clear that the Government has lost control of the virus, we’re seeing a really alarming rise in cases and in the spread of the infection.

“And I do think that we will need a stronger set of measures… but also a very clear understanding among the whole of the public everywhere that staying at home, not going out except when it is essential, not mixing socially or unnecessarily is key to getting this virus under control.”