Experts urge Government not to be epidemiologically stupid in Covid emergency summit

Coronavirus: GP calls for daily figures to 'not be published'

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AN EMERGENCY summit has been called in the lead up to Freedom Day set to take place on July 19. Medical experts, scientists and MPs attended the meeting today to push back on lifting restrictions. Dr Richard Horton – who is the Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet, where a letter has more than 122 signatures against removing Covid restrictions – shared his warning. “Let’s not be epidemiologically stupid – we’re in a very dangerous moment.”

By October 1, projections predict that there will be an additional 10,000 Covid deaths.

“Young people are more likely to become sick,” Dr Horton pointed out.

Referencing long Covid, Dr Horton highlighted that one in 10 people have ongoing symptoms post infection.

Should there be 100,000 infections per day – as projected – this means that 10,000 people each day will suffer from long Covid.

“The medium to long-term impact is seriously underestimated by only counting deaths,” said Dr Horton.

Chiding in was Professor Trish Greenhalgh from the University of Oxford, who said the Government’s plan “isn’t a very good policy”.

“I predict we’re going to get hundreds of super spreader events,” she said.

Dr Greenhalgh questions “why the rush” to remove mandatory face mask wearing.

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Although face masks don’t provide 100 percent protection, the abolition of them – alongside crowd control – “isn’t a very good policy”.

Dr Kailash Chand – the honorary vice president of the British Medical Association – added that he is against the virus ripping through the community.

Although the link between Covid cases and deaths has been weakened, Dr Chand emphasised that “hospital admission are rising”.

“The healthcare service watched in shock as Government said about lifting restrictions,” said Dr Chand.

“The NHS isn’t at breaking point, it’s broken,” he stated, referencing staffing and funding issues.

Dr Chand spoke of the “unspeakable trauma” NHS workers have experienced from previous Covid waves.

“How can they do this?” he questioned, especially when there’s already a “huge backlog” in treating other conditions.

“Many people will be suffering the consequences,” he warned. “The Government still hasn’t learned its lesson.”

Dr Rachel Clarke made her request very clear – “I want to see the Government’s modelling”.

“The Government is not providing us with the modelling,” she emphasised.

“The political decisions on July 19 is certainly not based on science,” she attested.

Dr Horton commented that he would like to see “a rise in vaccination rates – well over 70 percent of the population”.

“If we get to that point, it’s a good place to release some of the mandated,” he added.

However, he still recommends wearing a face mask in close contact spaces.

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