The University of Sheffield’s Public Health Professor has spoken out against Boris Johnson’s plan to lift all covid restrictions.
The Prime Minister is set to announce plans for ‘living with Covid’ on Monday.
He announced in the House of Commons last week that this plan is to happen a month earlier than originally planned.
Dr Andrew Lee, professor of public health at the University of Sheffield, believes that removing all restrictions will be catastrophic for the infection rate of covid-19.
Lee said: “From a disease control perspective, this is premature as infection rates are still high in the community. The ONN reported that 1 in 19 people are currently affected.
“The announcement does not appear to have been corroborated by scientific advice so does raise the question as to whether political imperatives rather than public health science and evidence is driving the decisions.”
The government’s plan would include ending self-isolation for people who test positive for the Coronavirus.
The Prime Minister said: ” Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions, including the legal requirement to self isolate if you test positive a full month early.”
296 new people in Sheffield had a confirmed positive test result yesterday, and 2,179 people tested positive within the last week.
This shows a decrease of 34.1% compared to the previous seven days.
Tilly Shaw, a 19-year-old medicine student, said: “the lifting of covid restrictions could – and almost certainly will – cause more covid-related deaths and greater illness.
“But I believe this is offset by benefits to mental health and economic opportunities for all.”
Students across Sheffield believe that the lifting of covid restrictions will create a positive impact on student life.
Veronica Bateman, 21, said: “I can finally enjoy and experience my uni with no fear of a hindered education and no fear of missing out.
“This will definitely have a positive effect on my mental health and my ability to experience uni properly. Now I can get the best education possible.”
The Prime Ministers ‘living with covid’ plan is due to be published on Monday.