CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER’S WARNING:
Chief Medical Officer says talks on lifting restrictions would only start once peak of virus has passed
THE CHIEF Medical Officer for England has issued a stark warning that the stringent restrictions imposed on the nation to contain the coronavirus pandemic will not be lifted soon as the outbreak has yet to reach its peak.
The peak of the outbreak is expected in the UK in about two weeks, and it has been reported that the Treasury is concerned that if the lockdown continues after June, it will no longer be able to support businesses.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock last week raised hopes by pledging an increase in testing, and the possibility of issuing immunity certificates to allow those who had undergone an antibody test to prove they are able to resume their usual activities.
He said the results will inform the Government on the “big choices we have to make around social distancing and how we exit from this crisis”.
But Professor Chris Whitty yesterday said it would be months before antibody tests were developed, and added that it would be a “mistake” to start to discuss a way
Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England.
out of restrictions, in an apparent change of direction.
Then announcement came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepared to spend a second night in hospital as a precautionary measure for his coronavirus symptoms. Prof Whitty, in his first public appearance after recovering from the virus himself, said: “The key thing is to get to the point where we are confident we have reached the peak and this is now beyond the peak.
“At that point I think it is possible to have a serious discussion about all the things we need to do step-by-step to move to the next phase of managing this.
“But I think to start having that discussion until we’re confident that that’s where we’ve got to, would I think be a mistake.”
Foreign Secretary Dominic
Raab, who led yesterday’s daily briefing, added: “The risk is if we start taking our eye off the ball, of tackling the coronavirus, stopping the spread and getting through the peak, we risk delaying the point at which we could in the future take those decisions on easing restrictions.
“So it is really important right now to keep the over-riding focus on maintaining the discipline that we’ve had.”
Some 5,373 people who have tested positive for coronavirus have now died, with at least 342 of those in Yorkshire.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “If we can (make sure the NHS is not overwhelmed) then we can look in the weeks to come to begin to very carefully... lift some of those measures.”
And Prof Whitty told reporters that “of course” there was planning for the next phase, but stressed there were a “very large number of elements that need to be brought together”.
These include testing, such as antibody tests which have not yet been proven to work, as well as the future availability of vaccines and drugs to lessen the severity of the illness.
But he also said effective antibody testing could take months to be developed.
Key thing is to get to the point where we’re confident we’ve reached the peak.