Miserable winter may lead to more Covid restrictions, says Sage member

The UK will experience a “winter bump” of Covid and other "respiratory viruses, says Prof Calum Semple
PA Wire
Leah Sinclair13 July 2021

The UK will experience a “miserable winter” due to Covid and other "respiratory viruses that we didn’t experience in the last year or so", a leading professor has said.

Prof Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told BBC Breakfast this winter will be “rough” and explained certain covid measures, such as face coverings, could return.

However, the professor ruled out lockdowns and school suspensions returning.

Asked whether restrictions would come back, he said: "Possibly, and it may just be about reinforcing some common sense. It may be bringing back some mask-wearing in certain environments, but I don’t foresee the lockdowns or the school suspensions that we’ve seen."

Also, he said there were some older people in hospital where the vaccine "just can’t help" them "because they’re older, and the immune system doesn’t protect them".

He added: "My big message to people now is ‘sure we’ve weakened the link between community cases and hospital cases, but that link is not broken and it’s the people that are not vaccinated that are still coming to harm’."

Dr David Nabarro told Radio 4’s Today programme the “pandemic is advancing ferociously around the world” and we haven’t “got through the worst of it” despite the vaccine rollout.

He said: “Yes, relax, but don’t have these mixed messages about what’s going on. This dangerous virus hasn’t gone away, it’s variants are coming back and are threatening those who have already been vaccinated – we have to take it seriously.”

The British Medical Association has also warned of “potentially devastating consequences” after Boris Johnson confirmed most mandatory Covid restrictions will end next Monday on Freedom Day July 19.

“It’s irresponsible – and frankly perilous – that the Government has decided to press ahead with plans to lift the remaining Covid-19 restrictions on July 19,” Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the BMA council chair, said.

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