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BORIS Johnson today warned of a tough Christmas and beyond but gave hope of vaccine progress in the weeks to come. The Prime Minister stressed it is imperative to find a balance between
saving lives and keeping the economy moving, as he spoke on the Andrew Marr show this morning. ⚠️ READ OUR CORONAVIRUS LIVE BLOG FOR THE LATEST NEWS & UPDATES Boris warned of a tough
winter for us all but said the nation will be in a different place by spring. And he hopes that scientific progress - including testing capacity and a potential coronavirus vaccine - will
help ease restrictions. He told the BBC's Andrew Marr: "In the course of the next few weeks the scientific equation will change. "We'll start to see progress on vaccines
and testing that will allow us to change the way we do things." The Prime Minister said he "appreciated the fatigue" locked down Brits are currently facing and acknowledged
"they are furious with me and furious with the government". 'BUMPY CHRISTMAS' But he warned the road will continue to be bumpy ahead. He said: "This is going to be
bumpy through to Christmas. It may even be bumpy beyond but this is the only way to do it." The PM went on to preempt the situation next year, suggesting the nation will be better
equipped to face the virus as the months go on. He said the government were working "flat out" to try to make things easier for Brits by Christmas. "It is still very possible
that there are bumpy, bumpy days ahead," he warned. "It could be a very tough winter for all of us but by the spring, things will be radically different and we'll be in a
different world. "There are different treatments now available that weren't a few months ago and that's changed the equation." It comes after cases in the UK soared by
12,872 yesterday, with the number of infections almost doubling the previous daily record of 7,143. Covid fatalities across all settings also went up by 49, bringing the overall death toll
in Britain to 42,317. And Mr Johnson today suggested that the government's Eat Out To Help Out scheme may have helped spread the bug. He said: "Insofar as that scheme may have
helped to spread the virus then obviously we need to counteract that with the discipline and the measures that we're proposing." MEAL OF IT The Eat Out To Help Out scheme saw the
government pay for 50 per cent of people's food and non-alcoholic drinks at pubs and restaurants on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during August. It was followed last month with
tighter hospitality restrictions, including a 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants. The PM defended the country's curfew today - blaming those who choose to "hobnob" outside
pubs after hours for chaotic scenes in city centres at closing time. The Prime Minister told Andrew Marr: "People just need to follow the guidance. "Obviously it makes no sense if,
having followed the guidance for all the time in the pub they then pour out into the street and hobnob in such a way as to spread the virus." MOST READ IN NEWS Asked what scientific
evidence there was for a 10pm cut-off he said: "One of the things that has been put to us is that by curtailing the hours you can reduce the transmission." READ MORE ON THE SUN He
also insisted the government's current strategy is "the only way to do it" and said tens of thousands more lives would be lost if there were no lockdowns. He added: "No
one has come up with any better suggestions that I'm aware of." Boris Johnson hints he will suspend 'rule of six' on Christmas so families can spend it together