The Government’s plans to allow more than 2 million of England’s most vulnerable people outside lacks any scientific rationale and amounts to a public relations exercise, a virus expert has said.
Families will be able to see their elderly relatives again today as millions of those who have been ‘shielding’ due to a high risk of suffering severe coronavirus symptoms are allowed to spend time outdoors.
As part of the easing of lockdown restrictions, 2.2 million of the country’s most vulnerable will be able to go outside with members of their household, while continuing to follow social distancing guidelines.
Those who live alone will be able to meet outside with one other person from another household.
But Dr Stephen Griffin, associate professor at the University of Leeds’ school of medicine, told the Guardian the move ‘seems to lack any obvious rationale other than to add to an ongoing ”good news” narrative that appears to have little grounding in reality’.
And in a response to Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s tweet announcing the move, Oxford-based palliative care expert Dr Rachel Clarke said: ‘Why on earth would you announce this without first communicating with primary care teams? You know, the GPs who actually look after these vulnerable patients.’
The tweet, which has been liked more than 12,000 times, added: ‘Do headlines mean more than best patient care?’
As part of the easing of lockdown restrictions, 2.2 million of the country’s most vulnerable will be able to go outside with members of their household, while continuing to follow social distancing guidelines (pictured: Clapham Common, London, May 31)
Dr Stephen Griffin, associate professor at the University of Leeds’ school of medicine, said the move ‘seems to lack any obvious rationale other than to add to an ongoing ”good news” narrative that appears to have little grounding in reality’
Rob Burley, director of campaigns at Muscular Dystrophy UK, said advice to shield people had already been confusing, but the dramatic announcement risked making the situation worse.
‘We are now faced with further confusion about why the advice has changed so suddenly when only a few weeks ago the government’s recovery strategy said shielding would have to remain in place for a further period,’ he said.
Head of police at the MS Society, Phil Anderson, said his organisation was very concerned that the news had come from nowhere, and the extremely vulnerable will ‘rightly want to hear a lot more about the scientific evidence showing this will be safe for them’.
Over the weekend Boris Johnson hailed the ‘resilience’ of those who have been shielding since March, with many having no face-to-face contact since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
He spoke after England’s deputy chief medical officer pleaded with Britons ‘not to tear the pants out of’ the loosened lockdown when more freedoms are granted on Monday.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam warned that abusing new liberties would fuel the spread of infection and said that the lifting of curbs should be treated as if gently lifting the lid on a coiled spring – ‘painstakingly’ slow.
The top scientific adviser said the country was at a ‘very dangerous moment’ in the crisis and gave his colourful instruction to the public as thousands of sun-seekers packed on to beaches to bask in scorching weather.
The president of the Association of Directors of Public Health has said experts are concerned ministers are lifting the coronavirus lockdown too quickly, claiming the Government’s own five tests have not been met.
Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘In terms of the R (rate of infection), it’s 0.7 to 0.9 in the latest Government assessment.
‘It is below one but it’s a very limited room for manoeuvre isn’t it and we know how quickly this virus can spread and it’s difficult to predict then with quite a lot of the measures being eased at once what the impact that will have on the R value.
‘We’re also concerned about meeting all the other operational challenges ready to meet a potential rise in infections.’
Over the weekend Boris Johnson hailed the ‘resilience’ of those who have been shielding since March, with many having no face-to-face contact since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic
The president of the Association of Directors of Public Health has said experts are concerned ministers are lifting the coronavirus lockdown too quickly, claiming the Government’s own five tests have not been met (pictured: Victoria Park, London, May 30)
She said the national testing programme and the test and trace scheme must be ‘robust and ready’, and that personal protective equipment (PPE) supply must be adequate.
‘We’re not feeling just yet that we’re confident enough to meet any potential challenge if the Government goes too quickly on easing lockdown measures,’ she added.
GPs have said ‘extreme caution’ is needed, in particular for those battling cancer and other serious long-term conditions.
It comes as official mobility data shows the number of people venturing out to parks has increased far above pre-lockdown levels as people look to socialise in outdoor spaces.
The warning also came as crowds flocked to beaches and parks in defiance of the lockdown rules that remained in force over the weekend.
They were tempted by temperatures that soared to 80F (27C) with the country enjoying the sunniest spring since records began and the driest May since 1862.