‘Completely wrong’ to say PM’s mass testing plan will save Christmas

England’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance poured cold water on Operation Moon Shot, warning it is “completely wrong” to say that ministers’ proposed mass coronavirus testing regime could allow for a return to semi-normality by Christmas - just minutes after Boris Johnson touted hopes that it could. Speaking at Downing Street, the prime minister tightened England’s coronavirus restrictions, making it illegal from Monday for people to gather in groups larger than six, with some exemptions. Meanwhile across the Atlantic Donald Trump came under fire after it was revealed he had downplayed the potential severity of the virus to ‘avoid panic’.