By Some Covid-19 restrictions “should be kept in place” beyond 19 July
The British Medical Association (BMA) is calling for some Covid-19 restrictions to be kept in place beyond 19 July, the date which all restrictions are set to be lifted.
The doctors’ union says there should be continued use of face masks and new ventilation standards put in place, to “protect the NHS, health and education” amid an “alarming rise” in cases.
According to the BMA, the number of Covid-19 patients admitted to hospitals in England has increased by 55% over the last week alone.
BMA council chair, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, said the easing of restrictions was not an “all or nothing” decision and that “sensible, cautious measures” were still required.
He said: “As case numbers continue to rise at an alarming rate due to the rapid transmission of the Delta variant and an increase in people mixing with one another, it makes no sense to remove restrictions in their entirety in just over two weeks’ time.
“The promise was to make decisions based on data and not dates, and while we were pleased to see the government react to data in delaying the easing on 21 June last month, ministers must not now simply disregard the most recent, damning numbers by rushing into meeting their new 19 July deadline.”
“Targeted measures” put forward by the BMA – the professional body for doctors – include requiring people to continue wearing face masks in enclosed public spaces, such as on public transport and in shops.
The BMA has also urged the government to improve public messaging on how the virus spreads and the importance of good ventilation – including the setting of legal standards.
According to government figures, weekly cases of Covid-19 in the UK are up by 74%.
On Friday, 27,125 new cases and 27 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test were recorded in the UK.
