Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

"Strategy... Actually Murderous": Experts Slam UK Over End To Covid Curbs

"Strategy... Actually Murderous": Experts Slam UK Over End To Covid Curbs

Coronavirus: From Monday -- dubbed "Freedom Day" by some media -- the UK government will lift most restrictions on public gatherings in England and allow businesses to reopen.

The UK government's plan to scrap day-to-day pandemic restrictions in England next week has no basis in science and amounts to premeditated murder for thousands of people, scientists warned on Friday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this week it was "highly probable" the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is over as he pressed ahead with Monday's reopening, despite the Delta variant spreading out of control.

The step is justified by two-thirds of all UK adults now being fully vaccinated, he said, but England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warned that infection rates are on track to reach "quite scary" levels.

After convening for an emergency discussion about the UK plan, international scientists including advisers to other governments had brutal words for Johnson.

"I've written that I believe that the strategy of herd immunity is actually murderous," US scientist William Haseltine said.

"It is knowledge that you are doing something that will result in thousands, and in some cases tens of thousands of people dying. It is a disaster as a policy," he added.

The UK government denies it is pursuing a policy of "herd immunity" by letting the Delta variant let rip, but concedes that daily infection rates could triple to 100,000 in the weeks ahead, adding to strains on hospitals.

"I don't think we should underestimate the fact that we could get into trouble again surprisingly fast," Whitty said on Thursday, urging the public "to take things incredibly slowly" as restrictions ease.

From Monday -- dubbed "Freedom Day" by some media -- the government will lift most restrictions on public gatherings in England and allow businesses such as nightclubs to reopen.

Mandates covering face masks and work from home will be lifted as Johnson promotes a new approach of personal responsibility, although he has also urged people not to "throw caution to the winds".

'Pingdemic'


The devolved governments of Scotland and Wales set their own health policy and will keep in place a legal requirement to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces such as shops and on public transport. Northern Ireland looks set to follow them.

The foreign scientists attending Friday's online meeting warned that England was falling out of step not just with its neighbours in the UK but with the rest of the world.

The meeting was organised by the authors of a protest letter published by medical journal The Lancet last week that originally carried 122 signatories.

Another 1,400 scientists have since added their names.

"In New Zealand we've always looked to the UK for leadership," said Michael Baker, professor of public health at the University of Otago in Dunedin.

"You have a remarkable depth of scientific knowledge. You've done remarkably well in vaccine development and roll-out. Remarkable clinical trials that we're drawing on," he said.

"And that's why it just seems so remarkable that you're not following even basic public health principles here."

Professor Chiou Shu-Ti, former head of Taiwan's Health Promotion Administration, said she was "very concerned" that younger age groups and clinically vulnerable people were left exposed by the UK plan.

"In our culture there is a saying that it is unethical to take the umbrella away from people while it's still raining," Chiou said.

"And it's actually raining very hard. So I hope the politicians can take that into consideration, to keep the umbrella there for those people not having a raincoat."

The surge in infections sweeping Britain led to more than 530,000 people being instructed to self-isolate by a government-run app in the week to July 7, the highest total since January, according to latest data.

Some companies such as carmaker Nissan have been losing staff en masse after they were pinged by the app -- in a brewing crisis described by media as a "pingdemic".

Butchers, another industry hit hard, have even warned of national meat shortages unless the app is made less sensitive.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
×