UK faces ‘paralysis’ and tens of thousands extra deaths if government refuses to lockdown, COVID experts warn
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| At this point in time we’re in the worst situation the country has ever faced in our memories |
The UK faces tens of thousands of extra deaths if a national lockdown is not implemented very soon, a former chief scientific adviser to the government has warned.
Sir David King, who chairs the non-government Independent SAGE group, warned the country was in the worst crisis in most people’s memories as cases continue to surge.
The UK reported more than 53,000 new cases yesterday, its highest daily rise yet.
A delay in making tougher decisions would cause more COVID fatalities and cause economic damage, Sir David said.
His comments came as health secretary Matt Hancock admitted some parts of England would move into Tier 4, the highest level of rules, but said he would not impose a “Tier 5” today.
Sir David told Good Morning Britain: “At this point in time we’re in the worst situation the country has ever faced in our memories.
“It is easily the worst of the whole outbreak.
“We believe that delayed and tentative decision-making will result in the deaths of tens of thousands more people.
“It will paralyse the country, it will wreck our economy. We must act quickly and we must act now and we’re calling for an immediate nationwide lockdown immediately.”
He spoke ahead of a streamed meeting of Independent SAGE, which creates policy advice but is separate from the government’s own SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies).
Data from Public Health England shows people infected by the recently-identified variant of coronavirus in the UK are 54% more likely to transmit it, Metro reported.
Experts believe it is driving most of the new cases.
Among Sir David’s concerns are schools, which he said are contributing to transmission of coronavirus and should be moved to remote learning, with the government supporting pupils to do that.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson will make a statement about the return of schools later on Wednesday.
Sir David also said there should be a “clear strategy to mark the end point of this new lockdown”, which he argued should continue until all people who have COVID-19, or come into contact with those infected, are isolated from the population.
Matt Hancock ruled out introducing a potential “Tier 5” set of tougher restrictions than Tier 4, but said more of England will be put into the latter.
"I'm not announcing anything above Tier 4 today, and we need to see in Tier 4 areas not just rules, but people taking that responsibility as they did in the first and second national lockdown to keep the rates under control,” he told LBC.
Earlier on Wednesday it was announced that the Oxford vaccine has secured approval for use.