The World Health Organisation (WHO) has has warned the British Government against lifting Plan B restrictions next week, saying such a move was “unwise”because the coronavirus is “constantly evolving”
According to the WHO’s special envoy on Covid, Dr. David Nabarro,: it is “important that there is no premature promising that restrictions will end at a particular time”.
The Evening Standard reports: His comments come as ministers mull whether to scrap Plan B restrictions on January 26, following a sustained drop in cases. The UK reported 84,429 infections on Monday – down 40 per cent in a week.
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Pressed on whether the Government should move ahead with relaxing curbs, Dr Nabbaro told BBC Breakfast: “Restrictions are making a difference because they reduce the number of contacts people have, and restrictions therefore are helpful and it’s important that there is no premature promising that restrictions will end at a particular time or we’ll be able to get back to normal at a particular time.
“I want to be hopeful but I want to do my best to be as clear with what I’m really seeing, which is where I need to continue to be cautious and I will be.”
However as the Daily Sceptic notes, fortunately, a number of Conservative MPs are not listening to the WHO’s misguided fearmongering, telling the Prime Minister that he must drop the mask mandate next week or face the largest rebellion yet. From the Telegraph:
Mr Johnson is widely expected to scrap regulations on Covid passports and guidance to work from home in England next Wednesday, when “Plan B” restrictions are reviewed. It is possible that an announcement on these measures could come as soon as this week.
However, the Government is understood to be considering retaining some rules on face masks beyond the end of the month.
The proposal would require a Commons vote, as the powers used to introduce the current rules – which oblige people to wear masks in most public indoor settings – expire next Wednesday. On Monday, a series of Tory MPs urged Mr Johnson to rule it out. …
One senior Conservative MP warned that the Government would “be mad” to pursue an extension of mask rules and predicted it would provoke a rebellion of more than 100 backbenchers.“
The last thing he [Mr Johnson] needs is another three-figure rebellion,” said the MP amid Tory mutiny over “partygate”. “The numbers [of Covid cases] are falling now. We know, mercifully, that the symptoms are pretty mild for those who are vaccinated.“
If he does that, he looks like he’s still being run by [Chief Medical Officer Prof Chris] Whitty and [Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick] Vallance, and at the moment he just can’t afford that. Any backtracking on that [scrapping Plan B restrictions], in his current circumstances, would be foolish.”
On Monday night, Government sources insisted it was too early for ministers to have made final decisions on retaining aspects of the Plan B measures.
