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Anthony Costello, professor of Global Health at University College London and member of Independent SAGE, said he thinks restrictions should not be eased later this month. Earlier this week, Boris Johnson said easing measures on June 21 is currently on track, but admitted that the data is “ambiguous”.
He said: “I can see nothing in the data at the moment that means we can’t go ahead with Step 4.
“What we need to work out is to what extent the vaccination programme has protected enough of us, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, against a new surge – and there I’m afraid the data is still ambiguous.”
The Prime Minister is expected to make the decision on whether restrictions will be lifted later this month on June 14.
Speaking on last night’s BBC Question Time, presenter Fiona Bruce asked the Independent SAGE expert whether restrictions should be lifted on June 21.
READ MORE: Sage expert warns Britain must learn to live with coronavirus
“Now many of them will be younger, and death rates should be much much lower, but many people could end up in hospital, the NHS could be thrown into another surge.”
Prof Costello warned that the Government will have to “watch the data extremely carefully” over the next two to three weeks.
He added: “We all want our lives and livelihoods back, but we’re still in the middle of a raging global pandemic.
“We’ve always argued from Independent SAGE for a ‘suppression’ policy rather than a ‘living with the virus’ herd immunity policy, which we think doesn’t work.”
On Thursday, official figures showed that the UK recorded 5,274 daily COVID-19 cases and 18 deaths in the latest 24-hour period.
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