AN APPOINTMENT
and certainly more of a danger to children.
“For anyone under 50 the added risk of dying from coronavirus is vanishingly small – and for those under 25 comparative to the risk of a lightning strike – and no one thinks that will happen to them.”
He said that the studies on which the two-metre message was based used models “under artificial conditions in still air”.
But this had been superseded by a Brunel University review of existing evidence.
He said: “Recreating this research in real life shows air is always circulating even in apparently still conditions and this means the virus is not transmitted as easily as once thought.
“The new data shows it is broken up over a shorter space and those particles that do travel are not in infectious quantities at one metre.”
Many European countries do not have the two-metre rule, and Prof Dingwall said some that do are considering reducing it.theworld Health Organization advocates keeping a one-metre distance.
Prof Dingwall said: “Official advice needs to shift on this and follow theworld Health Organization and many other European countries which have a one-metre rule, otherwise we will not get our economy or schools operating effectively again.”
Paul Hunter, Professor of Medicine at the University of East Anglia and adviser to theworld Health Organization on the
Covid-19 pandemic, said: “I do not know what science has gone into the UK decision-making process. It is not open to scientific debate.
“In an ideal world we would have a lot more explanation on what is behind the diktats
“People, managers, leaders and headteachers would be able to make risk assessments and educated decisions.
“The two-metre rule is based on science done 70-80 years ago which wouldn’t stack up now.
“Every situation needs to be properly risk assessed – for example it is a lot safer outside than inside. I wouldn’t put a two-metre bar on schoolchildren.
“It is not workable, especially among younger children.
“I would have small classes of 12-15 children and they could rotate and attend school together and work under one teacher.
“You don’t have to totally stop transmission to get on top of this, but get it down.”
Dr Simon Clarke, Associate Professor in Cellular Microbiology at the University of Reading, said: “The two-metre rule is based on very uncertain science and ultimately this rule is not a scientific decision, it is a political decision.
“Politicians cannot hide behind the science and they need to justify themselves.there is an awful lot of guesswork because there is no magic distance at which someone becomes safe.they need to make this clear.”