(Londres) D’influents scientifiques internationaux ont appelé vendridi le gouvernement britannique à revenir sur sa décision de lever lundi l’essentiel des dernières restrictions liées au coronavirus en Angleterre, dénonçant de mais umerisésés Rogers non-citizens strategists ‘Other countries.’
In a statement, this group of scientists explains their desire to “sound the alarm about the British government’s serious response to the massive increase in infections”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed on Monday that he intends to lift nearly all recent health restrictions still in place due to the pandemic by July 19, including the requirement to wear a mask and social distancing.
Eager to “reclaim freedoms”, the Conservative leader felt it was “the time” to do so, despite the sharp rise in the delta variable, which is highly contagious and dominant in the UK, one of the countries. Most Europeans affected by more than 128,000 deaths. It depends on the success of the vaccination campaign, with more than two-thirds of adults fully vaccinated.
Photo Will Edwards, Agence France-Presse Archives
“Ministers have been told that this plan will likely lead to 1 to 2 million cases over the next few weeks and possibly 7 to 10 million cases by the end of the year, and a peak of more than 100,000 cases per day over the next few weeks. Summer,” laments these scientists, including experts Public Health Walter Ricciardi and Michael Baker, who advise the Italian and New Zealand ministries of health.
They increase the risk of “prolonged COVID-19” in infected people and the development of a new vaccine-resistant variant.
The scientists warned that “the current strategy for mass infection risks undermining efforts to control the epidemic not only in the UK but also in other countries”, and urged the government to “urgently reconsider” its plan.
The number of infections continues to rise. The Office for National Statistics said on Friday that one in 95 people in England – more than 500,000 people – were infected in the week ending July 10, compared to one in 160 in the previous week.
Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, has warned that the number of COVID-19 patients currently in hospital every three weeks could reach “very frightening numbers”, calling on residents to be vigilant. And he warned just hours after Boris Johnson confirmed on Thursday that it was “quite likely” that the pandemic had passed, “we are not out of the woods yet”.
