LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday his government was pursuing a strategy to suppress the novel coronavirus until a vaccine or other treatment was available.

Asked whether Britain was adopting a strategy to eradicate the virus, or to gain herd immunity or to suppress the virus and reduce the number of deaths until a vaccine or a highly effective treatment arrives, Johnson replied: “Number three.”

(Reporting by Sarah Young, writing by Elizabeth Piper, editing by Estelle Shirbon)

Copyright 2020 Thomson Reuters.