Is UK’s coronavirus ‘herd immunity’ plan a deadly gamble?
- UK government criticised for not shutting down schools and banning large gatherings
- Government on back foot amid talk of allowing the population to become infected to build ‘herd immunity’
The UK government has tried to regain control of its communications strategy amid growing criticism over of its handling of the coronavirus crisis that is now threatening to engulf the country.
In a hasty statement issued late on Sunday, Downing Street said Prime Minister Boris Johnson would “lead a cross-government” drive to defeat the Covid-19 disease and would include daily press briefings to keep the public informed of developments.
“The prime minister and this government are committed to keeping the public informed every step of the way about what we’re doing to fight the spread of the of coronavirus, when we’re doing it and why we’re doing it,” the statement said. “At all times we will be led by the science to bring forward the right responses at the right time to this global pandemic.”
The UK government’s “outlier” coronavirus strategy – to delay the sort of mass lockdown underway in other European countries – has come under increasing pressure from the public and scientific community, at home and abroad. It has not shut down schools nor banned large gatherings – but that could change in coming days.
Coronavirus fatalities in the UK increased by 14 on Sunday bringing the total death toll to 35 as the number of cases increased by more than 200 to 1,372.
