UK Government’s ‘herd immunity’ plan sparks fear and fury

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged all Brits to work from home where possible and to avoid eating out, after the government’s controversial plan to tackle the coronavirus with “herd immunity” sparked fear and fury.

More than 1,500 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed across the UK and 53 people have died, making it one of the top 10 worst outbreaks in Europe.

But the government has been slow to implement the same kind of tough social distancing measures its European neighbours, including Italy, Spain and France, have adopted, such as a ban on mass gatherings and shutting down restaurants, museums and all non-essential shops.

On Friday, the government's chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, told BBC Radio 4 that one of “the key things we need to do” is to “build up some kind of herd immunity so more people are immune to this disease and we reduce the transmission”.

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Sir Patrick Vallance, the govt chief scientific adviser, says the thinking behind current approach to #coronavirus is to try and "reduce the peak" and to build up a "degree of herd immunity so that more people are immune to the disease". #R4Today

More: https://t.co/1FmqX3WPh7 pic.twitter.com/pMHknCAobr

— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) March 13, 2020

Herd immunity is when a large proportion of the population – particularly younger and healthier people – catch the virus, recover, and build up their immunity in order to help protect older, more vulnerable citizens from contracting the disease.

Boris Johnson has faced criticism for his country's light touch approach to tackling the coronavirus outbreak. Picture: Glyn KIRK / AFPSource:Picture; AFP

The 'herd immunity' plan has sparked outrage. Picture: AP/Kirsty WigglesworthSource:Picture: AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth

But more than 200 scientists then wrote an open letter to the government urging it to reconsider the “risky” plan, saying it could cost lives and put unnecessary stress on the National Health Service (NHS).

“Going for herd immunity at this point does not seem a viable option, as this will put NHS at an even stronger level of stress, risking many more lives than necessary,” the letter said.

“By putting in place social distancing measures now, the growth can be slowed down dramatically, and thousands of lives can be spared. We consider the social distancing measures taken as of today as insufficient, and we believe that additional and more restricted measures should be taken immediately, as it is already happening in other countries across the world.”

‘I THOUGHT IT WAS SATIRE’ 

Epidemiologist William Hanage, who researches and teaches the evolution of infectious diseases at Harvard’s Chan School of Public Health, said when he heard about the UK government’s herd immunity plan, he thought it was a joke.

“My colleagues here in the US, even as they are reeling from the stumbling response of the Donald Trump administration to the crisis, assumed that reports of the UK policy were satire – an example of the wry humour for which the country is famed. But they are all too real,” he wrote in The Guardian on Sunday.

He likened the strategy to ignoring a house fire.

“Your house is on fire, and the people whom you have trusted with your care are not trying to put it out,” he said.

“Even though they knew it was coming, and could see what happened to the neighbours as they were overwhelmed with terrifying speed, the UK government has inexplicably chosen to encourage the flames, in the misguided notion that somehow they will be able to control them.”

School teachers and parents also reacted with fury on social media, threatening to walk off the job and keep their children at home, with the government yet to officially shutter schools and nurseries.

On Monday morning, #COVID-19 Walkout was trending on Twitter as residents decided to take matters into their own hands.

"I don't want to stay at home, but I'm doing what is right for my family’s health. This is a serious issue and the government isn't taking it like that. Do what's best for you. Please shut schools before it's too late,” one wrote.

“Please! My mum is a teacher in her 60s, coming home to my dad in his 70s. As much as Boris finds them disposable, they're the only family I've got and they deserve a damn sight more than being written off to balance his books,” another wrote.

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