It is emerging that Britain could be locked in coronavirus lockdown cycles for ‘several years’ to come. Scientists have warned that Britain could be forced to handle new variants that could evade vaccines.
Professor Sir Ian Boyd who is an infectious disease expert at the University of St Andrews and member of SAGE, said the emergence of new strains means the UK could be stuck in a pattern of ‘control and release for a long time to come’. Professor Boyd as well as several other prominent SAGE members have warned against easing the current lockdown as it could allowing new variants to spawn.
Professor Boyd has said: ‘It stands to reason that the more people there are in the population with infections — the prevalence — the more virus that is replicating and the more chance there is of even highly improbable mutations happening. My suspicion is that we will experience a damped oscillation of control-release for a long time to come — perhaps several years’.
Professor Graham Medley who is another SAGE member has said ‘everything works better’ when there is less COVID prevalence in the community and added that the emergence of new variants ‘strengthens that case’.
The Government had promised to look at lifting the most draconian lockdown curbs, when the most vulnerable have been given at least one dose of vaccine. Although reports are now suggesting that lockdown could be set to continue when a so called roadmap out of lockdown is announced by the Prime Minister on the 22nd of February.
Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
[sibwp_form id=4]
