Masks and social distancing needed to defeat Covid, insists expert
Ending mask wearing and social distancing will remove the very tools needed to battle coronavirus, an Midlands expert on viruses said today.
Dr Arthur Hosie criticised Boris Johnson following his announcement most remaining Covid restrictions are set to be lifted from July 19, insisting it was still too early to do so.
The Staffordshire University microbiologist said increased mixing would result in soaring coronavirus cases and that it was premature to remove mask wearing and social distancing at this time.
He accused the Prime Minister as making a "populist" decision in seeking to return to normal as soon as possible and ignoring the potential health ramifications.
People are expected to be allowed to make their own decisions about wearing a mask while the one-metre distancing rule is set to be scrapped.
Dr Hosie believes these measures should remain in place until at least 80 per cent of the adult population have had both doses of the vaccine.
He said: "The Prime Minister is essentially going to remove all the mitigation and place the responsibility on individuals on mask wearing.
"To remove mask wearing and social distancing at the same time is a concern. We are not where we need to be to make that decision. I think the Government is being slightly selective in its decision making, looking at hospitalisations and deaths but ignoring rising cases.
"There is a potential for variants to arrive. But I fully expect the Government to carry on regardless.
"There has been a slow increase in hospitalisations but nonetheless there is still a rise. Therefore there is going to be a significant amount of people put at risk."
The PM said the time had now come for us to "live with Covid" but Dr Hosie insists it is still too soon to take away all protections.
He also dismissed comparisons to the way we live with flu and accept it will kill a certain amount of people each year.
He said: "Flu is something we have been exposed to for all of our adult lives, we are getting a little bit of protection. This is a new virus to which we have had no exposure over previous years.
"Mask wearing and social distancing; to remove them is to remove the tools we need to live with the virus."
