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British scientists have warned that lifting all restrictions on Covid-19 is tantamount to building new ‘variant factories’ at a very rapid pace, and said the attitude of the new Health and Welfare Secretary, Sajid Javid, was “scary”.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Javid said the best way to protect the health of the country was to lift key Covid-19 restrictions. “The rules we had to put in place caused a shocking increase in domestic violence and a terrible impact on the mental health of so many people,” he said.
Reacting to the comments, Professor Stephen Reicher of the University of St Andrews, a member of the Sage Behavioral Science Advisory Subcommittee, tweeted: ‘It’s scary to have a’ health ‘secretary who still thinks that Covid is the flu. Who is indifferent to infection levels. Who does not realize that those who do the best for health, also do the best for the economy. Who wants to give up all protections when only half of us are vaccinated.
“Above all, it’s scary to have a ‘health’ secretary who wants to make all protection a matter of personal choice when the key message of the pandemic is ‘it’s not a thing’ I ‘, it’s an’ us’ thing. “
On Monday, the cabinet is expected to approve the easing of various Covid restrictions in England, including allowing fully vaccinated adults to travel to Orange List countries without having to self-isolate upon return; make the wearing of face masks voluntary, outside hospitals and other health establishments; and no longer requiring fully vaccinated adults to take a Covid-19 test or to self-isolate or if they have come into contact with an infected person.
The school’s “bubble” system that has forced hundreds of thousands of students to self-isolate at home, if anyone in their bubble is positive, should also be dropped; while patrons of pubs and restaurants may no longer need to scan an NHS QR code upon arrival.
Javid said: “We need to be clear that the cases are going to increase dramatically. I know a lot of people will be cautious about relaxing the restrictions – that’s totally understandable. But no date we choose will ever come without risk, so we need to take a broad and balanced view.
“We’re going to have to learn to accept the existence of Covid and find ways to deal with it – just like we already do with the flu. “
Professor Susan Michie, Director of the Center for Behavior Change at University College London, and another member of Sage’s Behavioral Sciences subcommittee, tweeted: ‘Allowing community transmission to increase is like building new “variant factories” at a very rapid pace.