With coronavirus cases in the UK now at over 674,000, experts are calling for an ‘immediate national circuit breaker’ to halt the spread.
Independent experts from Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) say that the government’s three-tier system is ‘not enough to reverse growth.’
Instead, they say that a six week emergency plan is needed to bring infection rates below 5,000/day.
The group proposes a 2-3 week lockdown, including the immediate closure of schools, non-essential retail and business, the leisure and hospitality sectors and places of worship.
It also suggests that physical distancing measures should return to a two metre rule, with a ban on household mixing outside of support bubbles.
Following this ‘circuit breaker’, SAGE suggests that there should be a period of continued restrictions to keep the R number below 1, while allowing schools to reopen.
Professor Christina Pagel of University College London, said: “We believe a sharp national circuit breaker for 2-3 weeks followed by 3-4 weeks of continuing restrictions is needed to stop the current wave in its tracks, preventing tens of thousands of new cases and thousands of hospital stays.
“This will buy us precious time to build a public health and social scaffolding to support easing restrictions and restarting our lives. We must not waste this time.”
Sir David King, chair of SAGE, added that an ‘urgent reform’ of the Test & Trace system is needed, describing it as a ‘national scandal.’
The SAGE report states: “Eight months into the pandemic, it’s clear that England’s find, test, trace, isolate and support (FTTIS) programme is failing, leading the government to rely on a succession of restrictions on people mixing to control the pandemic.
“The result is that the UK has some of the greatest excess death rates and economic damage anywhere.”
The experts recognise that any new restrictions will have to be accompanied by a package of financial support for individuals and businesses affected.
They added: “Government should make isolation financially feasible for all cases and contacts. This was not provided until September 28, since when £500 has been provided to properly isolate for 14 days, or £7.14 per hour, substantially below minimum wage and hard to access.
“For five million workers in the gig economy, this provides little incentive. We recommend £800 as a minimum.”
