COVID-19 curbs lifted in England despite risks

LONDON－British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday the end of all domestic COVID-19 restrictions in England in a process starting later this week, but experts warn of potential risks following the move.

Johnson announced the lifting of all long-term coronavirus rules in Parliament as he unveiled the government's strategy for "living with COVID".

The legal requirement for people who test positive for coronavirus to self-isolate will be removed from Thursday.

More than 91 percent of people aged 12 and over in Britain have had their first vaccine dose and more than 85 percent have received both doses. More than 66 percent have received booster jabs, or the third dose.

Monday's announcement only applies to England, which is home to 56 million of the United Kingdom's 67 million people, reported The Associated Press. This leaves England with fewer restrictions than most other European countries, with the exception of Denmark.

Opposition parties accuse Johnson of seeking to distract public attention, with his position in peril as police probe lockdown-breaching parties in Downing Street.

Keir Starmer, leader of the main Labour opposition, said the new measures were "not enough to prepare us for the new variants which may yet develop" and urged Johnson to publish the scientific advice underpinning his decision, reported Agence France-Presse.

"We have to take the public with us and that requires clarity about why decisions are being made," he said.

Leading academics, medics and scientists expressed concern about the move, with many saying it is too early to ease restrictions while so many daily cases and deaths continue to be registered.

More than 1,300 scientists and medics have sent urgent messages to the top two government medical advisers, England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance, expressing concern about the government's plans to end testing, surveillance surveys and legal isolation of COVID-19 cases.

The British Medical Association said ending the restrictions was premature and not based on current evidence. It warned that dropping testing for the virus and self-isolation could lead to a surge in cases.

Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the BMA council, said the decision has not been guided by data or done in consultation with the healthcare profession.

Plans condemned

Nagpaul said COVID-19 infections need to fall further before the rules are relaxed.

Scientists from the group Independent SAGE have condemned plans to stop free tests and payments to support self-isolation in England.

"Our concerns about removing access to free tests include increased risk of spread of Omicron and any subsequent variants, leading to more illness, death and burden on the NHS and more risk of new variants emerging," Independent SAGE said.

David Strain, who divides his time running a hospital COVID-19 ward and lecturing at the University of Exeter Medical School, told Xinhua News Agency that it is too premature to lift the restrictions.

"We all hope that this is the end game. We hope that we are coming out of COVID," he said. "But just because we hope it doesn't mean it's true. I think we're too early to say we're at the end. There's a risk of new variants arising."

Xinhua - Agencies