London Visitors from Germany always seem a bit disoriented when they come to England these days. No masks far and wide, you just go in everywhere without having to show proof of vaccination or a test result. It feels like the corona pandemic no longer exists in the Kingdom.
The figures, however, show a different picture. More than 40,000 new infections are registered every day, the seven-day incidence is more than 400. The number of hospital admissions is approaching a thousand per day, and the number of deaths is already back to around 200 a day – the highest level since March .
Compared to the much lower numbers on mainland Europe, the situation on the island seems out of control. Health Minister Sajid Javid warned in a press conference on Wednesday that the number of infections could rise to 100,000 a day in winter.
Three months after “Freedom Day”, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson lifted all restrictions, a new corona debate is now running in the country. Scientists and representatives of the national health system NHS are pushing for a reintroduction of mask requirements and contact restrictions.
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“It’s time for Plan B,” said Matthew Taylor, chief of health at the NHS Confederation. “Without preventive action, we risk stumbling into a winter crisis.”
The British prime minister rejects new restrictions despite the increasing number of infections.
(Photo: AP)
The national health system NHS reaches its limits every winter. The situation is particularly tense due to the pandemic. The clinics are pushing a mountain of postponed treatment appointments: 5.7 million Britons are waiting for operations.
The emergency rooms are so full again that ambulances have to wait outside for someone to admit their patients. Some people lie in the ambulance in front of the clinic for several hours, said paramedic Richard Webber from the College of Paramedics to Sky News.
“We’re on the edge – and it’s mid-October,” Taylor told the Guardian. “We would need incredible luck not to find ourselves in a deep crisis in the next three months.”
Vaccination effectiveness in the population is waning
Two reasons are given for the increasing number of infections: First, carefree interaction in everyday life increases the risk of infection. Second, vaccination protection among the population is also declining. Since Britain was the first country to start vaccinating, many British people had had their second injection more than six months ago. Most of them also received the less effective vaccine from Astra-Zeneca.
However, the government sees no reason to change its strategy. She continues to rely solely on the vaccination campaign to overcome the pandemic. Health Minister Javid said that it is not yet at the point of introducing new restrictions.
Sajid Javid, UK Secretary of Health, at 10 Downing Street.
(Photo: dpa)
The government continues to consider it right that the responsibility lies with the individual when he or she wears a mask or restricts social contacts. Also, the pressure on the NHS is not yet so great that new restrictions are necessary in everyday life. When asked, he did not want to say when this point was reached.
Tories consider mask superfluous
In fact, it will be difficult to get the British to give up their freedoms again. In contrast to the first and second virus waves, there is no alarm mood whatsoever – on the contrary. Large events like the Tory party congress a few weeks ago take place without tests, vaccination certificates and masks. The entire government faction sits in parliament without a mask. Even in the subway, more and more people are doing without mouth and nose protection.
Conservative lockdown opponents are warning the government against reintroducing the restrictions. “We can not make the freedoms of the people in this country dependent on the capacity management of the NHS,” said the MP Steve Baker the broadcaster Talkradio.
But Javid emphasized that the pandemic was not over yet. “We are concerned,” said the Minister. There are no longer any legal regulations, “but we can all be careful”. He appealed to the British to wear masks indoors, to have regular tests and to get vaccinated. Vaccination remains the “first line of defense” against the virus.
Third vaccination for people over 50 years of age
The twelve to 15 year olds are currently receiving their first vaccination. Those over 50 years of age are called upon to have a third-party vaccination. The British enthusiasm for vaccination seems to be waning: of the eight million who were invited to third-party vaccination, only half accepted the offer. Five million Brits have not even been vaccinated yet.
Javid said that anyone who knows such vaccinators in their own environment should talk to them. The third vaccination must also be taken seriously. “We could gamble away our progress if people don’t accept the vaccination offer.”
The upcoming winter is making the government and its advisors nervous. “We are going into winter with a very high level of infections,” said Jenny Harries of the UK Health Security Agency at the press conference with Javid. Hospital admissions have also risen in the past few days, as have the death toll. Although they are still significantly lower than during the previous waves. “But they’re moving in the wrong direction.”
Stephen Powys, medical director of the NHS England, warned the British not to take the virus threat seriously. Javid also issued a clear warning to his compatriots: If not enough people went to the third vaccination and wore masks, new restrictions would be more likely. “That will affect us all then.”
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