The United Kingdom is proposing to reach the next stage of it’s opening up of it’s economy on 21st June. This is even though cases of Covid 19 are now beginning to rise again. This has mainly been due to new cases of the disease which have been caused by a new variant from India which is said to be more contagious and can spread quicker than previous variants. The governments chief scientists who are members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) state that the new changes are likely to cause even more cases of the disease in the country which are likely to overwhelm the National Health Service which is already under extreme pressure. It has recommended that the next stage of the opening up of the UK economy be delayed until more people have had a chance to be vaccinated.
It is recommended that everyone gets at least two doses of the Covid vaccine to ensure that they have as much protection as possible and help them stay safe during the pandemic. This will also help to keep cases in the health service as low as possible and ensure that the NHS does not become overwhelmed due to treating too many people who have contracted Covid 19.
Scientists have revealed that the UK is now at the beginning of a third wave of the Covid 19 virus which is a cause for extreme concern as cases will rise substantially and due to the increased rate at which the new variant spreads, the country will not be able to cope with the number of cases in society. They have advised everyone who experiences symptoms of Covid 19 to follow the correct measures of social isolation to ensure that there is as small a risk as possible of the disease spreading round the country.
In papers made public last night, Sage scientists modelled that stage two of the roadmap next week – the reopening of non-essential shops and outdoor hospitality – is unlikely to exert pressure on the NHS.
But while stage two is not predicted to have a big effect on infections, it is the lifting of the final stage four on June 21 that is expected to trigger a third wave in late July to early August.
Experts at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said this could ‘lead to a larger surge of cases and deaths comparable to that seen during the first wave’.
They have been cautious to say that their findings are only preliminary and more research is needed in to the new cases which are occuring round the country but the people being treated are mainly in the younger age groups who haven’t been vaccinated yet. Different age groups are being vaccinated at different times starting with people who are older and working down the age groups. People who may also be vulnerable due to certain health conditions or other factors are also being vaccinated.
Downing Street insisted it was too soon for speculation about whether the plan to lift all lockdown rules in England on 21 June could go ahead, prompting calls from the hospitality industry for the government to ensure it provided “advance notice” for struggling businesses of any “lingering” measures.
The vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, refused to deny that some restrictions such as mask wearing and working from home might remain in place to reduce the spread of the virus. Senior scientific advisers believe that, where possible, working from home makes sense beyond June because it would cut the number of people who come into contact with each other.
