A man holding umbrellas prepares outdoor pub seating in London, Britain, April 12, 2021. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)
"It is a real worry that when further measures lift on May 17, the majority of younger people, who are often highly socially mobile and could therefore be most at risk of a more infectious strain, are not yet vaccinated," said a British public health expert.
LONDON, May 15 (ChinaEuropeNet) -- The next stage of lockdown easing in England slated for Monday should be approached "with utmost caution," a British public health expert warned Saturday.Richard Jarvis, co-chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) public health medicine committee, said "key segments of the population" are still not vaccinated."It is a real worry that when further measures lift on May 17, the majority of younger people, who are often highly socially mobile and could therefore be most at risk of a more infectious strain, are not yet vaccinated," he told the BBC.Those people in that age group had seen the highest rates of positive tests throughout the pandemic but would now be able to mix in larger groups indoors "without many of the mitigations that have helped to push infection rates lower and lower since the start of the year," he said."We are urging the public, and young people in particular, to take a cautious approach to social and physical contact, to continue practising 'hands, face, space' and to meet outdoors wherever possible, " he added.The expert's warning came after spikes in Britain of cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in India.People walk in Covent Garden in London, Britain, April 12, 2021. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)The British government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has said the relaxation on Monday could "lead to a substantial resurgence of hospitalizations (similar to, or larger than, previous peaks)."Minutes of a meeting on Thursday suggested there is a "realistic possibility" that the India-related variant is 50 percent more transmissible than the coronavirus one that emerged in Kent late last year, according to Sky News.The scientists said there "may be some reduction in protection" when it comes to the current vaccines.However, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday that the spread of the India-related variant, known as B1617.2, would not affect the scheduled easing of lockdown in England from Monday.He said there was "no evidence" to suggest the current vaccines would be less effective against the strain.From Monday, pubs, bars and restaurants in England will be permitted to open indoors, while indoor entertainment will also resume, including cinemas, museums and children's play areas.People in England will be allowed to meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people, and meet indoors in groups of up to six or as two households.Meanwhile, all remaining accommodation including hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen from next Monday, according to Johnson.The British government's roadmap is expected to see all legal limits on social contact to be removed on June 21.According to the latest official figures, more than 36.1 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.Experts have warned that despite progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is "still not out of the woods" amid concerns over new variants, particularly those first emerged in South Africa, Brazil and India, and the third wave of pandemic on the European continent.To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. ■
Xuefei Chen Axelsson is an independent media person. She has been a journalist for 30 years. She studied English, International politics, and sustainable development. She has been to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and America, Canada, France, Germany, Spain and all the nordic countries including Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Britain. She is good at talking with all kinds of people and exchange ideas and serves as a bridge between China and the world.
A man holding umbrellas prepares outdoor pub seating in London, Britain, April 12, 2021. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua) "It is a real worry that when further measures lift on May 17, the majority of younger people, who are often highly socially mobile and could therefore be most at risk of a more infectious strain, are not yet vaccinated," said a British public health expert. LONDON, May 15 (ChinaEuropeNet) -- The next stage of lockdown easing in England slated for Monday should be approached "with utmost caution," a British public health expert warned Saturday.Richard Jarvis, co-chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) public health medicine committee, said "key segments of the population" are still not vaccinated."It is a real worry that when further measures lift on May 17, the majority of younger people, who are often highly socially mobile and could therefore be most at risk of a more infectious strain, are not yet vaccinated," he told the BBC.Those people in that age group had seen the highest rates of positive tests throughout the pandemic but would now be able to mix in larger groups indoors "without many of the mitigations that have helped to push infection rates lower and lower since the start of the year," he said."We are urging the public, and young people in particular, to take a cautious approach to social and physical contact, to continue practising 'hands, face, space' and to meet outdoors wherever possible, " he added.The expert's warning came after spikes in Britain of cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in India.
People walk in Covent Garden in London, Britain, April 12, 2021. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)The British government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has said the relaxation on Monday could "lead to a substantial resurgence of hospitalizations (similar to, or larger than, previous peaks)."Minutes of a meeting on Thursday suggested there is a "realistic possibility" that the India-related variant is 50 percent more transmissible than the coronavirus one that emerged in Kent late last year, according to Sky News.The scientists said there "may be some reduction in protection" when it comes to the current vaccines.However, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday that the spread of the India-related variant, known as B1617.2, would not affect the scheduled easing of lockdown in England from Monday.He said there was "no evidence" to suggest the current vaccines would be less effective against the strain.From Monday, pubs, bars and restaurants in England will be permitted to open indoors, while indoor entertainment will also resume, including cinemas, museums and children's play areas.People in England will be allowed to meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people, and meet indoors in groups of up to six or as two households.Meanwhile, all remaining accommodation including hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen from next Monday, according to Johnson.The British government's roadmap is expected to see all legal limits on social contact to be removed on June 21.According to the latest official figures, more than 36.1 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.Experts have warned that despite progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is "still not out of the woods" amid concerns over new variants, particularly those first emerged in South Africa, Brazil and India, and the third wave of pandemic on the European continent.To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. ■
