Public are ‘too relaxed’ about coronavirus

THE public “relaxed too much” following the easing of lockdown restrictions, according to England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, who described the recent surge of coronavirus cases as a “great concern”.

The country will have a “bumpy ride” in the coming months if infection rates are not brought under control, Prof Jonathan Van Tam warned last night.

Official figures show that the UK’S Covid rates have now surged above 20 cases per 100,000 people, the government threshold which triggers quarantine from other countries. On Sunday, 2,988 new cases were announced, the highest increase since May 22, while a further 2,948 cases were recorded yesterday

Meanwhile, officials suggested that universities could be closed down in the event of outbreaks of Covid amid warnings that students may spread the disease at house parties.

Prof Van Tam suggested the virus was not being confined to certain areas, saying a “general creeping geographic trend across the UK” was being observed.

“This is a virus we’re going to have to live with – and if we’re not careful, if we don’t take this incredibly seriously from this point in, we’re going to have a bumpy ride over the next few months,” he said.

Britain’s soaring cases raise the prospect that other countries could add it to their travel quarantine lists, or find other ways to restrict those travelling from the UK.

In the seven days to Sept 7 the rate stood at 21.3 cases per 100,000 – up from 13.9 in the previous week.

When other countries reach a rate of 20 cases per 100,000 or above, the Government considers imposing quarantine conditions on people travelling to the UK.

The threshold has seen holidaymakers returning from France, Croatia, Spain and other countries forced to self-isolate for 14 days on their return.

From 4am tomorrow seven Greek islands will be added to Britain’s quarantine list, with those returning from Lesvos, Tinos, Serifos, Mykonos, Crete, Santorini and Zakynthos (also known as Zante) losing their exemptions from the UK’S travel corridor.

With nearly 6,000 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 being reported in the UK in the 48 hours to 9am yesterday, the daily rate is now 50 per cent higher than it was before the weekend.

The latest weekly statistics show that almost one third of infections in England are among those in their 20s, with more than 2,000 cases among those aged between 20 and 29.

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said yesterday that while earlier rises in the spread of the virus had been linked to poorer areas, the latest rises appeared to be driven by wealthier young people.

He said: “Over the summer we had particular problems in some of the areas that are most deprived. The recent increase we have seen in the last few days is more broadly spread. It’s

actually among more affluent younger people where we have seen the rise.”

In a message to younger people, on BBC Newsbeat, he said: “The question is, how much are you willing to risk the lives of yourself and others by breaking the social distancing rules?

“Don’t kill your gran by catching coronavirus and then passing it on.”

There is concern that socialising over the August bank holiday weekend, in house parties and bars, is only now being seen in infection rates, which could translate into increased hospital admissions in weeks.

Mr Hancock pointed out that the second waves now being seen in Spain and France “started largely among younger people”.

“In Spain the number of hospitalisations has gone up by 14 times since the middle of July, in France the number of people in hospital has trebled over the last month or so,” he said.

Asked by Nick Ferrari, the LBC presenter, if the UK had “lost control”, as suggested by some doctors, Mr Hancock said: “No, but the whole country needs to follow social distancing.

“We certainly see cases where they are not, then we take action.”

Mr Hancock said that the most important point to get across was that the increase in cases in the past few days had been in younger people under 25, “especially 17 to 21-year-olds”. Prof Van

Tam added that younger people were “potent spreaders” infecting the elderly.

“The fact that 17 to 21-year-olds are not becoming ill means they are lucky, but they also forget, because the disease is not severe for them, that they are potent spreaders.”

He added that hospital admissions and deaths in the UK were currently at

‘What we are seeing is a sharp rise in healthy people carrying the virus but exhibiting no symptoms’

“a very low level”.

Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, said: “What we don’t want to see is a continuing increase of cases in this age group because it could lead to them infecting their parents and grandparents who are much more at risk of poor outcomes from the virus.”

Professor Carl Heneghan, from the University of Oxford, said: “There is currently no second wave. What we are seeing is a sharp rise in the number of healthy people who are carrying the virus, but exhibiting no symptoms.

“Almost all of them are young. They are being spotted because – finally – a comprehensive system of national test and trace is in place.”