Chris Whitty warns Covid hospital numbers could get 'scary'
Despite restrictions being eased, he says we're “not out of the woods yet”
England is just days away from a major relaxing of lockdown restrictions, but the Government’s top medic has warned the number of people in hospital with coronavirus could reach “quite scary” levels within weeks.
Professor Chris Whitty said the UK is “not out of the woods yet”, just hours after Boris Johnson declared it was “highly probable” the worst of the pandemic is over.
The latest figures showed 48,553 more cases, the highest since January 15, while the 63 deaths were the biggest daily reported increase since March 26.
"We could get into trouble surprisingly fast"
Prof Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, said: “I don’t think we should underestimate the fact that we could get into trouble again surprisingly fast.”
He warned that the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is currently doubling about every three weeks and could reach “quite scary numbers” if the trend continues.
Speaking at a webinar hosted by the Science Museum, Prof Whitty said: “We are not by any means out of the woods yet on this, we are in much better shape due to the vaccine programme, and drugs and a variety of other things.
“But this has got a long way to run in the UK, and it’s got even further to run globally.”
His comments came after Mr Johnson urged people not to “throw caution to the winds” as England’s restrictions ease on Monday and acknowledged there would be more hospital admissions and deaths from Covid-19 to come during “difficult days and weeks ahead”.
Prof Whitty said the key on July 19 was “to take things incredibly slowly”, adding that he fully expected most people to continue to take precautions.
“If you look over what people have done, and in fact if you look at what people intend to do now, people have been incredibly good at saying, ‘I may be a relatively low risk, but people around me are at high risk, and I’m going to modify my behaviours’,” he said.
More than half a million 'pinged' by NHS app
Ministers are concerned about the scale of the problem and are examining whether the NHS Covid-19 app could be made less sensitive to reduce the numbers being “pinged”.
Some 530,126 alerts, 520,194 in England and 9,932 in Wales, were sent in the seven days to July 7, the highest seven-day total since data was first published in January.
Everything you can and can't do in England from 19th July
What are the changes happening on 'Freedom day'?
From the 19th July in England, wearing facemasks is no longer compulsory. You'll no longer be legally required to wear one when you're out and about.
What are the changes happening on 'Freedom day'?
From the 19th there will be no legal limits on the size of groups that can gather, meaning no rule of six or bubbles to consider.
What are the changes happening on 'Freedom day'?
All social distancing rules are scrapped from the 19th July
What are the changes happening on 'Freedom day'?
From 'freedom day' workers are no longer being asked to work from home if possible, the government have said that people can go back into the workplace, even if they can do their job from home
What things are going back to normal?
Nightclubs and events like concerts, gigs and theatres will be able to re-open as normal from the 19th, although the government are encouraging venues like nightclubs to use Covid status certification, often called vaccine passports.
What things are going back to normal?
With no limit on the numbers that can gather and social distancing rules removed, Wedding sand funerals and other large occasions are back to normal.
What things are going back to normal?
Pubs and restaurants can go back to having people order at the bar and not have to have screens between tables, although it's thought many will keep some of the precautions in place.
Where do I need to wear a facemask?
Despite it no longer being a legal requirement, the government have made it clear that they recommend and expect facemasks to be worn in crowded areas and on public transport. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has made facemasks compulsory on public transport in London, with travel operators around the country making their own decisions on rules.
What do you still have to do after 'Freedom Day'?
If you're pinged by the NHS test and trace app because you've been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus you do still have to isolate. The government announced this will be ending for those who have had both doses of the vaccine and those under 18, but that doesn't come into force until the 16th August
What do you still have to do after 'Freedom Day'?
Countries you can travel to and from and whether you need to quarantine are still regulated by the green, amber and red lists. Although from the 19th July people who have had both doses of a coronavirus vaccine will be able to return quarantine-free to England from amber list countries