Some people are criticising the government's coronavirus strategy - here's why

Delaying school closures and keeping public events open are some of the UK government's decisions that have been defended by England's deputy chief medical officer. As man in his 80s has just been confirmed as the sixth death linked to Covid-19 in the UK, Dr Jenny Harries said experts are assessing new cases on an hourly basis to achieve a "balanced response". The government's next steps Cases are still rapidly growing across the whole of the UK. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Dr Harries said the vast majority of those diagnosed with coronavirus in Britain are "pretty well" but that they may "feel a bit rough for a few days". She said that new government measures will follow in the next fortnight, adding that people with flu-like symptoms will be advised to self-isolate within 10 to 14 days and, at the same time, significant increases in the number of cases are likely to begin. The option to keep outdoor events going, rather than cancelling them like other countries have, has been justified by the deputy medical officer. She said cancelling big outdoor events like football matches would not necessarily be a decision supported by science. "The virus will not survive very long outside," Dr Harries said. "Many outdoor events, particularly, are relatively safe." Thousands of cases expected However, speaking on SkyNews, Dr Harries stressed, "We're watching how those disease rates change, and they are rising. We will see thousands I'm sure, in due course. We will see many thousands of people infected with coronavirus, that's what we're seeing in other countries. "The important thing is to make sure that we manage those infections and make sure that those individuals that are most affected, the elderly and those with chronic underlying conditions, get into hospital and get treatment."