Michael Gove tells UK ‘to resist temptation’ to go out this sunny weekend

He has paid tribute to a five-year-old child who became the UK's youngest coronavirus victim today, as well as a 13-year-old boy whose mum and siblings could not attend his funeral after they began to show symptoms.

Michael Gove has asked people in the UK to ‘resist the temptation’ to go outside and enjoy the sunny weather this weekend, reminding the public of the seven healthcare professionals who have sacrificed their lives in the fight against coronavirus.

On Saturday, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster offered his ‘heartfelt condolences to the grieving families’ of NHS staff and the ‘many others’ who have lost loved ones to Covid-19.

Speaking at a Downing Street briefing, he paid tribute to a five-year-old child who became the UK’s youngest coronavirus victim today, as well as a 13-year-old boy whose mum and siblings could not attend his funeral after they began to show symptoms.

Mr Gove said: ‘I know that life under lockdown can be challenging and some will be tempted on this sunny weekend to venture out and about.

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‘But, as the health secretary underlined yesterday, if we relax our adherence to the rules, we increase the risk for others.

‘That’s why it’s so important to stay at home, to protect the NHS and to save lives.

‘We need to think of those on the frontline and the sacrifices that they’re making for us.’

It comes as the UK death toll passes 4,000 after 708 more people die in 24 hours.

NHS England national medical director Stephen Powis told the briefing that the latest figures suggested that new cases had begun to ‘stabilise’.

However, he added that there was ‘no room for complacency’ and everyone should continue to adhere strictly to lockdown rules.

Mr Gove confirmed on Saturday that hundreds of new ventilators are being manufactured in the UK every day and hundreds have been sourced from abroad.

He said: ‘We’ve been buying invasive ventilators from partners abroad, including Germany and Switzerland, and today 300 new ventilators arrived from China, I’d like to thank the Chinese government.’

More ventilators will start being produced soon by a consortium of aerospace, engineering and Formula One teams, he added.

When asked about conspiracy theories linking 5G masts with the spread of coronavirus, Mr Gove branded them ‘dangerous nonsense’.

Professor Powis also named them ‘complete and utter rubbish’, adding: ‘It’s the worst kind of fake news.

‘The reality is that the mobile phone networks are absolutely critical to all of us, particularly at a time when we are asking people to stay at home and not see relatives and friends.

‘But in particular, these are also phone networks used by the emergency services and health workers.’

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