Pregnant women ‘advised’ to follow social distancing measures
essential contact and travel, while the elderly and those with underlying conditions were told they would have to stay home much more.
Speaking to the committee of MPs, Sir Patrick said closing schools remained an option that was on the table to curb the spread of coronavirus.
But it would also cause an “enormous problem” for the workforce, including workers in the NHS, he said.
Sir Patrick Vallance agreed there needed to be a “big increase” in the amount of testing that is done for the virus, adding: “Everyone is working hard to try and make that happen.”
Earlier, scientists advising the Government said the UK had “no time to lose” in changing tactics on Monday in order to prevent thousands of deaths and the NHS being overwhelmed.
The Imperial College Covid-19 response team - one of several scientific teams advising ministers published a paper showing that 250,000 people could die if efforts were focused only on delaying and slowing down the spread of Covid19.
The paper analysed the most up-to-date data from Italy and the
UK and concluded that the only “viable strategy” was a Chinesestyle policy of “suppression” of the virus.
Sir Patrick Vallance said it was a “semantic difference” to argue whether the UK had shifted from a process of delaying and mitigating the spread of Covid-19 to an attempt to suppress it.
He told MPs the approach had always been to “save lives and protect the vulnerable” by delaying and suppressing the peak of the outbreak, and shielding those most likely to be badly hit.
PREGNANT women have been “strongly advised” to adhere to the proposed social distancing measures set out in Government guidance.
It comes as leading midwives reminded women that “attending antenatal and postnatal care when you are pregnant and have a new baby is essential”.
But the new advice suggests that pregnant women are strongly advised to use telephone or online services to contact their GP or other essential services.
The Government’s chief medical officer said yesterday that pregnant women were being included in the list of vulnerable people as a “precautionary measure”.
Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “We understand this must be an unsettling time for pregnant women, but we would like to emphasise that attending antenatal and postnatal care when you are pregnant and have a new baby is essential to ensure the wellbeing of pregnant women and their babies, and we would urge all pregnant women who are well to attend their care as normal.”
Tthe Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) issued clarification on the differences between who should be in household isolation, who should take social distancing measures and what needed to be “shielded”.
“From today we are asking all individuals to follow social distancing measures to delay the spread of the virus,” DHSC said.
“If you are 70 or over, under 70 but have an underlying health condition (you are eligible for an adult flu vaccine), or a pregnant woman you are strongly advised to follow the below guidance: Avoid contact with someone who is unwell; Avoid public transport; Work from home; Avoid large gatherings, religious congregations, and gatherings in smaller public spaces such as pubs, cinemas, restaurants, theatres, bars, clubs.
“Avoid gatherings with friends and family particularly if someone has symptoms of Covid-19 or has recently been unwell; Anyone who has symptoms or anyone who has been in contact with someone symptomatic should not be in contact with a vulnerable person for at least seven days; Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services.”