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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Charlotte Smith

Dr Hilary issues urgent warning for anyone planning on going out on 'Super Saturday'

GMB's Dr Hilary Jones has issued an important word of warning for anyone planning on going out on 'Super Saturday'.

On July 4 restaurants and pubs will reopen for the first time since lockdown began back in mid-March.

Police and emergency services have been urged to prepare for the weekend like it is New Years Eve.

Discussing the reopening on today's episode of Good Morning Britain, Dr Hilary voiced his concern and issued a warning for Brits up and down the country.

Urging people to be responsible, he said: "What we don't want is the transmission rate to go up just because people have a few too many drinks and lose their social inhibitions." He said.

"Don't get too close to one another and spread the virus."

The medical expert then went on to criticise the government for allowing such businesses to reopen on a weekend.

"I think it's unfortunate it's a weekend," he said. "Had it been a Monday it would be a little bit more measured, so I think the timing is odd.

NHS Trusts have been told to 'prepare for Super Saturday like it's New Year's Eve.'

"I think he timing of many of these things has been questionable.

"For pubs in particular to be thrown open again on a Saturday is perhaps not that wise."

The 67-year-old reminded viewers of the sacrifices NHS staff have made during this unprecedented crisis and pointed out that although cases and death of the virus have gone down, the country is still not yet in the clear.

He warns it'll be a "step backwards" if people do not behave sensibly tomorrow.

"We're relying on people understanding how nasty this virus is." He added.

"If people behave irresponsibly and drink too much, start hugging, drinking, screaming and singing and getting into large groups then we're going to be in trouble.

"As long as it's done carefully, responsibly, in a mature way and everyone thinking I could have the virus, they could have the virus, then the economy can get back on its feet.

Coronavirus: Latest news headlines - July 3

"We're not out of the woods yet and we still have to be responsible for one another."

He continued: "Those people on the NHS frontline have sacrifice their lives to help the population when we were in that massive first peak of COVID-19," he added.

"What will it say to them and their colleagues, who are going to be there eon Saturday night taking in the drunks and the casualties because of too much drinking at the time when we're in the middle of a pandemic?"

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