[ad_1]
The health secretary has lashed out at proponents of a herd immunity strategy for the coronavirus, describing it as a “flawed target.”
Speaking during a debate on the new three-tier government COVID-19 Restrictions, Matt Hancock said he wanted to face the argument of taking such an approach “head-on.”
“If we let this virus continue unchecked, the loss of life would simply be too great to contemplate,” he told deputies.
Herd immunity is resistance to a contagious disease within a population because enough people have become immune, making it difficult to spread.
Live updates on coronavirus from the UK and around the world
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Mr. Hancock’s comments come after the publication of the appeal Great Barrington Declaration.
Signed by leading experts from the Universities of Oxford, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Cambridge, Sussex and York, it suggests herd immunity as a way forward.
But it counts homeopaths, therapists and false names among its “medical” signatories, leading to accusations that it falsely represents scientific support for the controversial position.
Hancock joined the chorus of criticism of the statement, saying it is “supported by two central claims” that are “emphatically false.”
“First, it says that if enough people contract COVID, we will achieve herd immunity. This is not true,” said the Secretary of Health.
“Many infectious diseases never achieve herd immunity, such as measles, malaria, AIDS and the flu, and with increasing evidence of reinfection, we should not be confident that we would ever achieve herd immunity to COVID, even if we all get it.
“Herd immunity is a flawed goal without a vaccine, even if we could achieve it, which we can’t.
“The second central claim is that we can segregate the elderly from the vulnerable on our way to herd immunity.
“This is simply not possible.”
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Hancock added: “We are not the type of country that abandons our vulnerable or just locks them up.”
Mark Woolhouse, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, said in response to Hancock’s comments that herd immunity will be critical in the long run to ending the pandemic.
Professor Woolhouse said: “In the future, we would expect that more people would be exposed at one stage or another and that immunity would be important, either naturally or through a vaccine.
“Herd immunity is the way this ends, one way or another, it is critical to what happens to COVID-19 in the long term.
“Whether he (Mr. Hancock) calls it a target or not, he will end herd immunity.”
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sir Patrick Vallance, England’s Chief Scientific Adviser, herd immunity mentioned discussing the government’s approach in early March.
But Number 10 has denied that this was ever the government’s official strategy to combat the coronavirus.
Parliamentarians are voting on the government’s new COVID-19 measures, which will see areas with “medium”, “high” and “very high” alert levels.
The measure, which MPs are expected to give the green light and take effect on Wednesday, aims to simplify the range of different restrictions that already exist.
There has been outrage among some local leaders, with claims that Westminster has imposed restrictions without proper consultation and questions about the effectiveness of the measures.
Level 1, “medium”, will cover a significant part of England and includes current national restrictions such as the “rule of six” and a 10pm curfew for pubs, bars and restaurants.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Level 2, “high”, will prevent people from socializing with other households inside, although support bubbles will still be allowed.
In these areas, the rule of six will continue to apply outdoors in public spaces, as well as in private gardens.
The “very high” alert level (Level 3) will prevent people from socializing with other households both indoors and in private gardens, while bars and pubs will be closed unless they can function as restaurants.
Alcohol can be served in pubs that function as restaurants in these areas, but only as part of a meal.
Residents will also be warned not to travel in and out of these areas, while it will be up to local politicians if other entertainment venues like gyms and casinos should also close.
Mr. Hancock told the Commons that “we do not rule out” further restrictions in the hospitality, leisure, entertainment and personal care sectors.
He said that the ministers had decided “to restrict socialization because that way we reduce transmission with the least damage to education and the economy.”
Labor Party shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said a “clear plan” from Boris Johnson was needed.
“Our constituents will ask if history repeats itself? Because if these levels don’t work, then what? Level 4? Level 5? What’s the plan?
“Well, there isn’t one. We had whack-a-mole, a carnival game, but it was never a strategy.
“It was just a comment from the circus showman. We have had exaggerated claims, complaints when challenged, lack of transparency with the public, but now more action and a clear plan are needed.”
