UK health secretary Matt Hancock defends government special adviser Dominic Cummings as coronavirus lockdown row continues
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Matt Hancock has said Dominic Cummings acted "within the guidleines" – but understands others might disagree.
At today's Downing Street briefing health secretary Matt Hancok gave details of moves in terms of PPE and potential treatments for coronavirus.
He said contracts had been signed for the production of two billion items of PPE in the UK and announced a new trial for selective NHS patients of an antiviral drug, Remdesivir.
He said early results suggested it could shorten recovery time by four days.
The majority of public and media questions, however, concentrated on the ongoing row over special adviser Dominic Cummings who travelled from London to the north of England with his wife and child during lockdown.
His wife had coronavirus symptoms at the time.
A member of the public, Martin, from Brighton, asked if all fines levelled against people travelling during lockdown for childcare reasons would be revoked.
Mr Hancock said he would speak to the Treasury about that.
In response to other questions he directly defended Mr Cummings' actions.
"What Mr Cummings did was within the guidelines, after all the guidelines allow for exceptional circumstances, particularly with regard to childcare," he said.
Mr Hancock and his wife both previously tested positive for coronavirus and chose to remain in London with their young children.
Asked what the "relevant" difference was between his case and Mr Cummings' he said: "We had childcare readily available at home and Mr Cummings didn't."
A total of 3,681,295 people in the UK have now been tested for coronavirus, including 109,979 tested yesterday.
A total of 265,227 people have tested positive, up 2004 since yesterday.
The total UK death rate from coronavirus now stands at 37,038 though the number of people in hospital now stanfs at 8802 – down from 10,118 at the same time last week.
Northern Ireland has reported no new deaths from coronavirus for the first time since March 18.
Mr Hancock said that fact was "very encouraging".
Related article: Moray MP Douglas Ross resigns from government over Dominic Cummings row
