Easing lockdown could spark even bigger second wave of infections, doctors warn

Experts warn lifting restrictions too soon could fuel an even bigger surge in cases (Picture: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images/PA)

MDoctors and scientists warn it is still ‘too risky’ to relax coronavirus restrictions and warned moving too soon could create an ‘even bigger’ wave of infections.

It comes after Boris Johnson announced his end of lockdown plan in an address to the nation last night. He said from Wednesday unlimited outdoor exercise and sunbathing will be allowed, while anyone who can’t do their job from home will be ‘actively encouraged’ to go back to work. The Prime Minister has been accused of trying to ‘have cake and eat it’ as he tries to get the economy moving again while also trying to avoid a second peak.

They say acting too soon could make people ‘drop their guard’, leading to a fresh surge in Covid-19 infections. Birmingham Hospital consultant Dr Ron Daniels said he had seen a ‘chink of light’, with some capacity and bed space returning at his unit after weeks of battling coronavirus. He added: ‘The reality is that the effect of a second wave is just so unknown that it is too risky in most health professionals’ view to relax lockdown right now. ‘We would like to see our capacity in NHS hospitals back down to below usual levels before we can safely do that. Do we have enough beds to cope with a second wave if lockdown is relaxed too much? Absolutely not.

We’re still over our usual capacity.’ Coronavirus updates Visit our live blog for the latest updates: Coronavirus news live Dr Daniels, 49, who is also executive director of Sepsis Trust UK, said the size and impact of any second wave was dependent on how many Britons had been infected. Beyond the Government’s official figures this remains far from clear. In his speech last night the Prime Minister announced a new Covid Alert system aiming to chart the progress of the nation’s recovery based on the R number – the disease’s capacity to spread. A member of the public stops to talk to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he takes a morning walk through St James’ Park in London (Picture: LNP) Dr Ron Daniels says it is ‘too risky in most health professionals’ view to relax lockdown right now’ (Picture: PA)

Brits will be ‘actively encouraged’ to return to work if they cannot do their jobs from home (Picture: Reuters) But professor in infectious disease epidemiology at Imperial College London Professor Azra Ghani warns this figure is ‘rarely measured directly – but rather is inferred from patterns in the surveillance data’.

She added: ‘At present we are estimating both R and the infection rate from data on hospitalisations. These form only a small fraction of all infections and represent an estimate of transmission that occurred 1-2 weeks earlier – and are therefore a blunt monitoring tool. ‘Without rapid testing of all suspect cases it will be impossible to estimate the true level of the epidemic across the country, or in specific geographic locations, with any degree of precision.’ King’s College London and Royal College of Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Professor Neil Greenberg said the wellbeing of NHS staff and other key workers was ‘notably absent’ from the PM’s announcement.

He added: ‘Many key workers will have had to work in highly challenging situations which have included exposure to traumatic stress, moral injury and a relentless workload often in circumstances which were very different to their usual work. ‘The government has quite rightly verbally applauded the critical work carried out by key workers since the pandemic began to ensure that the nation continued to function, however there is a risk that if these individuals are not properly supported during the recovery process then not only may they suffer significant mental health problems, but should we have a second wave then they will not be ‘ready to go again’ when the country needs them.’

Source:metro.co.uk/