WHO Expert: Ending lockdown right now could be potentially devastating

David Nabarro, WHO’s special envoy on COVID-19, has warned the UK against lifting the lockdown restrictions on Monday. It comes after Sage experts urged the government to slam down the breaks on Freedom Day if cases and hospitalisations continue rising up. They advised the government to have a backup plan if the lifting doesn’t go as planned.

Dr Nabarro claimed it is too early to let the general public use common sense to live aside from COVID-19. He also reiterated that the world is watching England as they go ahead to lift restrictions. He said:

Countries around the world look to the UK for expertise and at the same time high-quality decision making when it comes to public health

Potential Risk

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed that the ending of lockdown will go as planned. Amidst this, Dr Nabarro claimed that the British experience of lifting restrictions is critical and that countries around the world have a lot of interest in how things unfold for the UK.

However, he still is not in favour of lifting lockdown, as he said:

I've been watching this pandemic, working on this pandemic, fully involved in it now since the end of January last year, and I’ll just say three things.

Firstly, this virus is troubling and dangerous, secondly, the pandemic is advancing ferociously around the world and thirdly I don't think that we have anywhere near got through the worst of it.

His statement comes as a caution as the Delta variant continues to reach new peaks every day, with more than 30,000 cases reported daily.

Unlock carefully

Although the Delta variant is still quite dominating in the UK, the rate of deaths and hospitalisation has stayed low. However, experts have predicted the peak would reach around mid-August and the death toll is estimated to reach 100-200 deaths daily. Thus, senior advisers have warned to be prepared for the worst if the ICU or ventilator bed numbers become too high.

Mr Johnson has also reminded people at the Downing Street press conference that the pandemic is not yet over. He said:

It is absolutely vital that we proceed now with caution and I cannot say this powerfully or emphatically enough: this pandemic is not over. This disease, coronavirus, continues to carry risks for you and your family. We cannot simply revert instantly from Monday, July 19 to life as it was before Covid.

He further warned people not to take unlocking as an invitation to celebrate a grand jubilee.