May 25, 2021

expert reaction to gov.uk guidance on ‘If you’re in an area where the new COVID-19 variant is spreading’

The government have issued updated guidance for those in areas where the new COVID-19 variant first identified in India is spreading.

Prof Lawrence Young, Virologist and Professor of Molecular Oncology, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, said:

“It’s too little, too late.  Trying to stop people meeting indoors is yet another example of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.  If we’ve learnt anything about this virus it’s that once it starts to spread beyond a few cases it becomes very difficult to contain.  Only extremely stringent local lockdowns soon after a few cases are detected will prevent the virus from spreading.  The most effective approach is to operate a rapid and robust test, trace and isolate system, while fast tracking the vaccination programme in these areas.”

Prof Sian Griffiths, Emeritus Professor, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and co-chair of the Hong Kong government’s SARS inquiry, said:

“In the guidance of what changes from May 17 is a list – subsequently added to – of areas for which there was different advice based on high infection rates, notably of the B.1.167.2 variant.  However, according to the Directors of Public Health for these areas, they and their local authorities had not been contacted directly or engaged in any discussions about this guidance, the criteria used to add them to the list, or how to communicate it to their local populations.  And if there is one thing we should have learnt from the handling of the pandemic it is that communication and collaboration between local and national levels is essential if guidance and management of the pandemic is to be effective.  If local areas currently engaged in surge testing and outreach vaccination are unaware of the mechanisms of decision making they are justifiably not in a position either to support the guidance or question its legitimacy.  Better communication will prevent further confusion.”

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do#if-youre-in-an-area-where-the-new-covid-19-variant-is-spreading

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