Raising England’s Covid Rules as Cases Rise Are “Threat to the World”

World health experts on Monday condemned the removal of most of Covid-19’s legal restrictions in England by Boris Johnson as “a threat to the world” as the number of daily cases in the UK rises in addition to 50,000.

The UK now has the third largest number of cases in any country in the world (only Indonesia and Brazil have more) and some scientists fear it could become a breeding ground for new Covid variants.

Ministers have warned that daily cases could reach 100,000 airstrikes and, in recent days, have shown signs of growing nerves as July 19 approaches – described by press newspapers as “Freedom Day”. .

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said this month that “there was no going back”, but now ministers admit that restrictions may need to be reintroduced as they prepare for a major uptick in cases.

“Of course, if we get to a situation where it’s unacceptable and we need to put more restrictions back in, that’s clear the government will look into,” Attorney General Lucy Frazer told Sky News.

How the United Kingdom reported 51,870 cases – the highest figure since January 15 – world scientists at an “international emergency summit” urged the Johnson administration to “urgently reconsider its proposed actions.”

The online event, organized by British scientists opposed to ending restrictions, attracted current and former government advisers from New Zealand, Italy, Israel, South Africa, Australia and Taiwan.

They signed a statement saying Johnson’s decision would have “a profoundly detrimental impact on England” and added: “The UK is one of the world’s most important travel centers; any variant that becomes dominant is likely to be spread to the rest of the world. “

Stephen Duckett, a former secretary of the Australian Department of Health, said: “There is no reputable public health consultant who would recommend opening at a time when the virus is spreading rapidly.”

British officials say Johnson will not retire at the last minute. The nightclubs will reopen on July 19, the limits of social gatherings will end and people will no longer be required to wear masks in crowded places.

Chris Whitty, chief physician, has argued that it is better for England to suffer a coveted wave in the summer (when health systems are under less pressure and schools do not work) than in the winter.

Johnson, who has come under intense pressure from Conservative MPs to end Covid restrictions, also believes the country’s “defensive wall” will be strengthened over the summer as vaccines and infected people, especially young people, are vaccinated. , develop antibodies.

But in recent days the once-rising tone of government has evaporated. Where ministers boasted of wearing masks, Johnson now urges people to do so. extreme caution.

Some fear that the Covid “wave” that Whitty is prepared to see England over the summer could turn into a tsunami, even though the connection between cases and hospitalizations has severely weakened.

Whitty said Thursday, referring to individual hospitals, “I don’t think we should underestimate the fact that we could get into trouble again surprisingly quickly.”

Grant Shapps, transport secretary, said he “wanted” London mayor Sadiq Khan to demand the wearing of masks on the capital’s public transport, although the government has overturned the legal requirement to do so.

Meanwhile, Covid certificates, which a few weeks ago were rejected by ministers as unnecessary, are now recommended for use in nightclubs and other places.

The bosses complain that they are faced with difficult legal issues on what to expect from customers and staff, as Johnson shifts the responsibility of fighting Covid to companies and individuals.

Meanwhile, businesses and utilities are affected, as there are hundreds of thousands of people “Ping” by the NHS Covid-19 app and he was told to isolate it after coming in contact with someone with the virus.

Now the prime minister is caught in a political vice, with Conservative MPs and right-wing newspapers urging him to defend “freedom”, while public opinion wants him to be much more cautious.

Mark Harper, president of the Covid Recovery Group, a skeptic of the blockade, said Whitty was right to say the country must learn to live with the virus and that it was right to trust the public “to balance the risks of life.” .

He criticized last week’s chaotic government messaging, suggesting it seemed not description by Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s former adviser, of a prime minister who deviates unpredictably on political issues.

“The government must govern in a way that avoids giving credibility to the criticisms of the‘ shopping cart ’to the prime minister’s senior adviser,” Harper told the Financial Times.

Meanwhile, senior Conservatives admit that Johnson’s policy opinion poll is “very bad,” which highlights the political risk for the prime minister if it starts to fall apart.

A survey by Ipsos Mori this week they found that four out of 10 adults supported mandatory face masks in public indefinitely, while a third of workers were “uncomfortable” on returning to the office. A quarter thought nightclubs should never be reopened.