Scientists plead for national lockdown

... and masks should be worn at work and school

MASKS should be worn at work and in schools and a new nationwide lockdown imposed to beat the new strain of Covid- 19, according to the UK Government’s scientific advisers.

Minutes from meetings of Sage (the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) said measures against the virus need to be stepped up.

In advice to ministers from meetings dated December 22 and 23 and released yesterday, the panel said they had assessed available evidence on the latest variant.

They said measures already in place to reduce transmission of the virus continue to apply ‘ but are likely to require a step change in rigour of application given that the new variant is likely to represent a significantly increased transmission risk’.

These measures include reducing social contacts, testing and tracing, support to ensure effective isolation and quarantine and population vaccination.

They also warn that the new variant of the bug means existing efforts such as handwashing and social distancing need to be intensified. But they added further measures ‘likely to be necessary’ i nclude reducing contact by extending Tier 4 i n England, changing operation of schools and universities, imposing travel restrictions ‘and or introducing a national lockdown’.

The report said: ‘It may be necessary to extend the use of face coverings to a wider number of settings (eg workplaces and education) where they are not currently mandated. This is important even when people are more than two metres apart, as correctly worn face coverings also reduce the emission rate of small aerosols.’

The report adds that ‘ higher performance face coverings and masks’ should be considered for use in settings where people are more vulnerable to the disease.

Higher quality masks have more layers, and fit more snugly on the face, with both the nose and mouth covered. The old ‘two metre rule’ rather than ‘one metre plus’ should be considered to be brought back as the default distance, the advice said.

Ventilation i n buildings also needs to be increased to combat the new type of the virus, the advice states.

It comes after a leading coronavirus adviser said on Thursday that all school pupils in Scotland should receive free masks.

Professor Stephen Reicher said pupils should also be kept in bubbles of 12 when they go back to school.

He said schools should aim to copy the Danish system, where children are taught in groups of around a dozen.

He added that schools should reduce class sizes by hiring extra teachers, creating more teaching rooms if possible, providing adequate ventilation and free masks for all pupils.

Professor Reicher, who is part of the Scottish Government’s Covid advisory group, also called for universities to move to online teaching until at least Easter, so schools can use empty buildings for classes.

Professor Reicher, who specialises in social psychology at the University of St Andrews, said: ‘Basically the smaller [the class size] the better, and the number depends upon size of rooms.

‘The important thing is to retain two-metre distancing. Denmark has bubbles of 12. That would be a good target.’

‘Likely to be necessary’