100 Scientists and Doctors Write a Letter on UK Government’s Premature Unlocking Covid Restrictions
July 9, 2021, 3:39 am

100 Scientists and Doctors Write a Letter on UK Government’s Premature Unlocking Covid Restrictions

According to the RT, More than 100 scientists and doctors have written a letter slamming the UK government’s decision to lift all Covid restrictions in England on July 19 as “unethical”, with cases rising and vaccines not yet giving herd immunity.

The letter, entitled “Memorandum Against Mass Infection” and signed by over 100 scientists and doctors, was published on Wednesday in the correspondence section of The Lancet medical journal.

The medical and scientific experts warned that unlocking on July 19 is “premature”, given that the UK is currently grappling with an influx of cases.

Over 32,500 infections were recorded on July 7 across the UK – the country’s highest figure since January. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to unlock is both “dangerous and premature”, the letter said, as well as “unethical and illogical”.

RT reported that the missive follows a statement from the recently appointed UK Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, who commented just days prior that summer infections could reach 100,000 daily.

The letter also warned that although a large proportion of the population has been inoculated, with 86.4% having received their first dose and almost 65% fully vaccinated, vaccine immunity has not yet been reached, and will not by July 19. The letter also stressed the dangers of ‘long Covid’ that patients can suffer with after the virus.

Long Covid is a condition that some coronavirus patients experience in the wake of the original infection and can manifest as trouble breathing, lack of smell and taste, and exhaustion.

The letter outlines five key areas the medics urge the government to reconsider as they move towards lifting the last of England’s restrictions, chief among those areas being the safety of young people and the risk of further Covid mutations in a quasi-vaccinated population.

As schoolchildren and young people in the UK are ineligible for Covid jabs due to current age restrictions, this still leaves millions of the country’s youth at risk of catching the illness and suffering from its side effects.

The letter warns that educational institutions could become a hotbed for infection, given that the ‘bubble’ system has been scrapped and pupils will no longer have to self-isolate after coming into contact with someone carrying the virus, under the government’s plans.

The authors also expressed alarm that the government’s approach to unlocking “provides fertile ground for the emergence of vaccine-resistant variants”.

Other issues of concern raised were an inevitable rise in hospital admissions and how poorer parts of the country could suffer the brunt of the virus circulating most heavily in their localities “as deprived communities are more exposed to and more at risk from COVID-19”.

After revealing England’s lockdown lift plan, Johnson was criticised by opposition leader Keir Starmer, who warned that the UK is in for “a summer of chaos and confusion” as the scheme to unlock is neither “careful”, nor “controlled”.

Source: RT

Image source: AP-RT

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”