warn the UK of the risks of creating a vaccine-resistant variant

In this sense, the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said this week that the use of the mask and respect for physical distancing it will no longer be compulsory in England from July 19, and urged Britons to “learn to live” with the coronavirus by being careful.

However, Johnson’s announcement only concerns England, as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland decide their own health policies and have opted for slower deconfinement.

However, Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute, a biomedical research center in London, told Sky News television that it was not unreasonable for the government to open up the country further given the successful launch of the vaccine. , but warned against it makes sense to open up so quickly and so widely when the level of infections is rising so fast.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 87.2% of people in Northern Ireland, 89.8% in England and 91.8% in Wales have antibodies either from being fully vaccinated or of having had the infection.

But for the scientist, there is a risk of “vaccine resistant variant” so almost all blocking restrictions are lifted at the same time, and the masks are removed at the same time.

“This decision is based on science, but it is a political decision. And some factors are important, like the economy, but part of that could be achieved by keeping some of the controls in place,” he said. suggested.

“Of course we have to make the most of the summer, but that doesn’t mean we have to open the door wide,” he added.

The nurse also maintained that testing for the coronavirus should continue and the focus should be on creating a safe work environment.

“Letting the virus spread under these circumstances encourages the emergence of a new variant in the UK itself. We could create a variant resistant to the vaccine,” he insisted.

The United Kingdom, one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic, with more than 128,000 dead, imposed strict containment in early January and began to gradually lift it from the end of March.

The lifting of mandatory chinstrap use and social distancing in principle was due to be announced on June 21, but escalating infections with the Delta variant of the coronavirus have pushed the date back four weeks.

Yet the government had already relaxed the ban on major events to allow 60,000 fans to attend the European Championship semi-finals and final at Wembley Stadium in London, to two-thirds of capacity.

In this sense, the Minister of Affairs, Kwasi Kwarteng, warned this Wednesday that it cannot be guaranteed that there will be no outbreaks of coronavirus linked to the semi-final of the European Championship in England against the Denmark at Wembley Stadium tonight.

“I think we can manage that risk, but let’s say there is no risk, if you have thousands of people in one place. There is always a risk in life. I think we are managing it. risk. I’m sure there won’t be a big epidemic, but we can’t guarantee it now, “the official told LBC radio.

According to official Scottish figures, there were nearly 1,300 cases of coronavirus linked to fans traveling to London for euro-related events.

This included 397 people who witnessed the standoff at Wembley on June 18, according to the public health department known as Public Health Scotland.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned that mass events, including football matches, could be “risky” in terms of the spread of the coronavirus.