WAS PROF FERGUSON RIGHT TO RESIGN?

PROFESSOR Neil Ferguson resigned from his role on the UK Government-convened Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) last Tuesday after it emerged he broke the social distancing rules he was instrumental in convincing ministers were vital to the saving of British lives.

It was revealed “Professor Lockdown” met a married woman only two weeks after he himself tested positive for Covid-19.

The news also emerged one month on from the resignation of Dr Catherine Calderwood, the former chief medical officer for Scotland, who visited her second home after lockdown measures were implemented.

What is it with our medical professionals and their second homes, second lovers, sense of entitlement and questionable judgment?

However, the more alarming revelation is that while Prof Ferguson’s private life took centre stage, it eclipsed the news concerning our record-breaking coronavirus-related death toll.

This was particularly disturbing given Prof Ferguson’s activities took place more than a month before the news that the UK had overtaken Italy, recording the highest number of Covid-19 deaths in Europe and second highest in the world.

While I do not condone Prof Ferguson’s behaviour, I am not sure it merits resignation and I am concerned by the consistent loss of expertise during the biggest UK public health emergency in living memory as non-governmental professionals undergo a level of public scrutiny they are neither trained for, nor used to.

Professor Neil Ferguson