Caution urged as ministers set to relax rules despite surge in Covid infections

PEOPLE who have been fully vaccinated and children will no longer have to self-isolate after close contact with someone who tests positive for Covid-19 from August 16, health secretary Sajid Javid said on Tuesday (6).

His comments follow prime minister Boris Johnson’s plans on Monday (5) to end social and economic Covid-19 restrictions in England on July 19. It will be a test of whether a rapid vaccine roll-out offers enough protection from the more infectious delta variant.

Javid said the success of the vaccine programme meant it was possible to go further in easing self-isolation rules for those who have received both shots.

“From August 16 ... anyone who’s a close contact of a positive case will no longer have to self-isolate if they have been fully vaccinated,” Javid told parliament. “In line with the approach for adults, anyone under the age of 18 who is a close contact of a positive case will no longer have to self-isolate.”

Only those contacts who themselves test positive will be required to self-isolate, he said.

Johnson is betting the vaccination programme, which has weakened the link between infections and hospital admissions, can prevent the health service being overwhelmed by a

new wave of Covid-19.

Javid, who was appointed late last month after Matt Hancock quit as health secretary, has underlined the importance of other health issues, economic problems and education challenges that have built up during the pandemic.

“We can’t live in a world where the only thing that we are thinking about is Covid – and not about all the other health problems, our economic problems, our education challenges,” Javid told Sky News. “We have to make use of a vaccine that is thankfully working.”

Last week, Javid said he wanted the remaining Covid-19 social restrictions to be lifted as soon as possible.

“I want to see those restrictions lifted as soon as we can as quickly as possible,” he told reporters. “There’s no going back and that’s why we want to be careful during that process.”

Javid said by the time restrictions are lifted on July 19, there could be 50,000 Covid-19 cases a day – double the current rates – and that cases “could go as high as 100,000.”

However, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) warned the “freedom” may last only for a few weeks after restrictions end.

SAGE cautioned that the current surge in infection numbers pose a “significant risk”, with many experts fearing that the Covid restrictions might have to be re-imposed just weeks after they are lifted.

The scientists also warned that the easing of all restrictions might give rise to super-spreader events, especially in packed venues, pointing out that mask-wearing was still mandatory on public transport in countries with low numbers of Covid-19 cases, like New Zealand.

Unite, the trade union body that represents tens of thousands of public transport workers said that the idea of “personal responsibility” replacing government rules was “absolutely ridiculous”.

“Rates of infection are continuing to increase and not only does mask-wearing reduce transmissions, it helps provide reassurance to drivers and to passengers who are nervous about using public transport,” Bobby Morton, Unite’s national officer for passenger transport, said.

He added that Unite members have already reported a spike in passengers ignoring rules on mask-wearing and said they should remain in place until rates of Covid-19 are “fully under control”.

London mayor Sadiq Khan has also urged Johnson to maintain the mandatory requirement to wear face coverings in public transport beyond July 19, saying masks will give all Londoners “confidence” to travel on the Transport for London (TfL) network safely.

Newcastle latest hotspot

On Tuesday (6), Britain reported the highest daily number of new Covid cases since January 29, and the greatest number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test since April 23.

Figures showed that there were 28,773 new cases, up from 27,334 on Monday (5), and 37 deaths. As of the end of Monday, 86.2 per cent of British adults had received one dose of a Covid vaccine and 64.3 per cent had received two doses.

Newcastle now has the highest rate, according to the latest figures, as the city recorded a total of 2,012 new cases of Covid-19 in the seven days to June 30.

South Tyneside, Oxford, Gateshead, County Durham and North Tyneside are also currently seeing the highest rate of new cases.

Six of the top 10 highest rate areas are now in northeast England, suggesting that the region has overtaken the northwest part of the country as England’s coronavirus hotspot.

(Agencies)