The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been warned to prepare to plan for a second wave of coronavirus as there will be a resurgence of the virus, which cause an inevitable second lockdown.
Over the weekend tens of thousands of people have been protesting over the George Floyd death in the US, defying the governments advice not to gather in large groups.
Professor Hugh Montgomery of UCL Intensive Care Medicine, warned that Brits could cause a “massive” second coronavirus wave.
He said that everyone has a responsibility during this crisis to stick to governments advice, and if we all do then the second wave will not be as severe as the first wave, however after the protests over the weekend fears are heightening.
Scientists have now warned there is a high risk of coronavirus spreading across the capital and other parts of the UK, as a result of the George Floyd demonstrations.
Keith Neal, Nottingham University’s emeritus professor of the epidemiology of infectious diseases warned “Any mass gathering risks significant numbers of further cases.
“There is clear evidence that banning mass gatherings was one of the most effective and important parts of the lockdowns across European countries.”
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) who advise the government, previously warned England would go back into a full second lockdown if the official estimate of the pandemic “R” number were to rise above 1.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has called on Britons to avoid mass gatherings to prevent a mass rise in infections, as a second lockdown will follow.
Dr Jeremy Rossman, Honorary Senior Lecturer in Virology, University of Kent said, “If we exit too early, we risk nullifying all of the hard work and sacrifices each one of us has put in.
“The restrictions are working, and case numbers and fatalities appear to be stabilising, but there are still a large number of active infections in the country and relaxing restrictions now could directly lead to a resurgence of Covid-19.
“A dramatic resurgence of cases could necessitate a second lockdown, which would be harder to implement and maintain.”
Experts are warning the government over grave concerns of the current lockdown easing and there cannot be “anymore relaxation” until the test and trace system is working.
Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, added, “We absolutely don’t want any more relaxation until we are confident that the test and trace system is working both at national and local level.”
Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs also added, “I think the criticism that we can’t see a strategy is a legitimate criticism.
“We need a strategy for test and trace, for PPE, for the use of technology, for maintaining Covid services and opening up non-Covid services.”
A Department of Health spokesperson said, “We will continue to be guided by the latest scientific advice – including from world-renowned epidemiologists – and give the NHS whatever it needs, as we have done throughout this unprecedented pandemic.
“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of NHS staff, hospitals have not been overwhelmed and intensive care capacity continues to meet the needs of patients.
“Our new NHS Test and Trace service is also up and running and anyone in this country with symptoms can book a test, with the majority getting their results back within a day.”
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