The first step in the Prime Minister’s four-part plan of Easing the third national lockdown in England began on Monday
Speeding up the easing of the UK’s third national lockdown risks leaving the nation “flying blind” to the risks of another surge in coronavirus cases, the government’s chief scientific adviser has warned the country.
Sir Patrick Vallance has told a group of MPs that the five-week gap between each step of the easing of lockdown restrictions was needed to evaluate the impact on coronavirus infections, as well as its transmission.
He was echoed by Professor Chris Whitty, who is England’s chief medical officer, who said that “big blocks of risk are being taken together,” every time the lockdown measures are relaxed.
This comes after large numbers of Rangers supporters flouted the nationwide COVID-19 rules to gather at Ibrox Stadium, as well as at George Square on Sunday after the club had won the Scottish Premiership title.
Prof Whitty added that models had demonstrated that “if you open up too fast, a lot more people die”.
“If we unlock too quickly we would get a substantial surge whilst a lot of people are not protected,” he said.
The committee has heard that the modelling data considered by government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) had suggested that even under the most optimistic set of assumptions, at least a further 30,000 COVID-19 deaths could occur in the coming months.
Prof Whitty said: “If people think this is all over – I would encourage them to look to continental Europe… where a lot of countries are going back into rates going up and having to close things down again having not been in that situation before.”
“I think it’s very easy to forget quite how quickly things can turn bad if you don’t keep a very very close eye on it.
“If you start shunting things forward you will get these higher peaks.”
The first step in Boris Johnson’s four-part plan to ease England’s third national lockdown began on Monday.
Schools and colleges reopened across England and care home residents were allowed to welcome a single, nominated visitor.
The next steps are expected to come on the 29th of March, the 12th of April, and the 17th of May.
This comes after visitors of care homes will be required to carry out COVID-19 tests prior to the visits, must wear PPE and are asked to limit physical contact. Visits to care homes from a nominated friend or relative will be permitted in England from today, but hugging and kissing the residents of care homes is still off limits.
The Prime Minister hopes that he will be able to lift the majority of COVID-19 rules by the 21st of June, but this is dependent on the cases, deaths, as well as the hospital admissions in the nation continuing to fall so the dates are the earliest any of the stated rules could be lifted.
Each step of the four-part roadmap out of lockdown is separated by five weeks – with four weeks to analyse the latest COVID data, and one week to give notice to businesses.
The hope is to spread out the easing process to avoid a further surge of the virus and avoid a return to the previous system of regional tiers.
Prof Whitty told the committee there will inevitably be another surge of the virus, possibly at the end of summer or next winter.
