Coronavirus: UK faces second peak at Christmas, SAGE adviser warns

But they are still a far-cry from the true numbers seen during the peak of the first Covid-19 wave in the spring. Deaths are also rising in line with the growing outbreak, with today's figure a 40% rise on the 137 last week. Professor John Edmunds was questioned by MPs on the Science & Technology Committee this morning. He said Government 'not being as cautious as I would like' and he would not use the same strategy. Warned 'we're looking at very high numbers of deaths' and a 'severe' peak of cases at Christmas. 'Nobody expects' Tier Three lockdowns to get R rate below one, he said, so they will only stabilise outbreaks