WHO Covid-19 Envoy: UK Over-Optimistic Statements For Lifting The Lockdown Are ill-Advised
July 2, 2021, 3:36 am

WHO Covid-19 Envoy: UK Over-Optimistic Statements For Lifting The Lockdown Are ill-Advised

UK lockdown

RT reported, citing a World Health Organization Covid-19 envoy that, "top UK officials are doing a disservice to the public when they claim the planned lifting of coronavirus-related restrictions will be final and “irreversible.” Lockdown

According to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the government would stick to its “cautious but irreversible” strategy to have the UK return to pre-Covid life on July 19, given the continued success of the vaccination campaign.

RT confirmed that the new health secretary, Sajid Javid, told reporters on Monday using a similar tone, and promising to work towards life returning to normal as quickly as possible. “It’s going to be irreversible. There’s no going back.”

According to RT, David Nabarro, one of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) seven special envoys on Covid-19 preparedness and response has told the news agency that, while he understands the urge of officials in the UK and elsewhere to present a clear timetable for lifting the lockdown restrictions, such over-optimistic statements were ill-advised.

“You can be pretty certain that this virus is going to take advantage of opportunities to move around – particularly if suddenly a lot of people come together at events,” he said. “ we’re going to say, ‘We’re going to break free, and we’re not going to be troubled by the virus, and there’s no turning back’, it’s a bit a hostage to fortune.”

Nabarro warned that the dropping infection rate could quickly bounce back after the planned “freedom day” and ultimately lead to more deaths, followed by another wave of restrictions.

The WHO envoy noted that, when relying on immunization, officials must consider the emergence of new coronavirus variants that are more transmissible and fatal than the original.

“The one thing we’ve learned about Covid is that things change from month to month,” Nabarro said, adding that vaccination efforts should go hand in hand with other protective measures, such as maintaining physical distance.

“Living with this virus means being able to defend against it,” he said.

The UK government reported 26,068 new cases on Wednesday, the highest number since January 29, bringing the overall number of recorded infections since the start of the pandemic to 4,800,907.

A total of 116 people died from Covid-19 during the week ending June 18. The overall number of Covid-19 deaths in the UK stands at 152,606. Lockdown

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Source: RT

Image source: AFP-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.”