The UK should use a “window of opportunity” to stop runaway infections or the country will within weeks be back to the levels of cases suffered at the peak of the pandemic, a top scientist said.
Professor Stephen Reicher, from the University of St Andrews, on Wednesday said tougher rules have to be brought in now to break the spiral.
The UK reported 14,542 new infections on Tuesday – with cases doubling over the past 11 days.
The surge in numbers comes as UK health secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce a “traffic light” system of measures based on the level of infections.
Prof Reicher told BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "If you look at the figures at the moment, the level of infections is about 10% of what it was at the peak in March, but at the rate of doubling, it would be at the same as March by the end of October.
“We have a window of opportunity to do something. If we squander that opportunity then we really are in trouble and we would be talking about going back to full lockdown.”
Prof Reicher said a “circuit-breaker” suite of measures “might buy us time” but cautioned there was “no point” if nothing changed by the end of it.
Professor Calum Semple, a member of the Government’s scientific advisory panel who specialises in disease outbreaks, agreed that short and sharp restrictions might need to be applied nationally.
He told the BBC: “It’s always easier to reduce an outbreak at the earlier stage than to let it run and then try to reduce it at a later stage.
“So, yes, circuit breakers are certainly something we should be thinking about on a national basis.”
Pubs with no beer in Scotland
The warning comes as Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced all pubs and restaurants in the central belt - which includes Glasgow and Edinburgh - would close for two weeks.
In other areas, they will be able to open until 6pm - but only to serve food and non-alcoholic drinks. They will still be allowed to serve alcohol in beer gardens until 10pm.
The new rules, affecting 3.4 million people, come into force at 6pm on Friday.
Ms Sturgeon insisted the new rules were not a second lockdown but admitted they felt like a "backward step" in combating the disease.
Meanwhile, mayors from the UK’s major Covid-hit cities - Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle - told the government tougher restrictions affecting millions were not working.
Scientists from the world’s top universities have also penned an open letter calling for the UK to lift lockdown measures and build herd immunity among young people.
The petition, signed by about 2,500 scientists, warned tough lockdown rules were having “damaging physical and mental health” effects.
They argued that older people should be shielded while the young should move freely throughout society.
During Prime Minister's Questions, Labour leader Keir Starmer urged Boris Johnson to explain why tighter lockdown restrictions were not having an effect.
“It’s obvious that something has gone wrong here,” he said.
An analysis, released by Labour as Mr Johnson faced questions, showed the town of Bolton, in north-west England, saw its infection rate rise from 22 cases per 100,000 people to 255 per 100,000 since it was placed under increased restrictions on July 30.
The infection rate in Burnley, another north-west town, increased more than 20 times to 434 cases per 100,000 from 21, the study found.
Mr Johnson declined to comment on the reasons behind these surges, but agreed infections were rising across the country.
He said: “I wish I could pretend that everything was going to be rosy in the Midlands or, indeed, in London where, alas, we are also seeing infections rise.
“That is why we need a concerted national effort, we need to follow the guidance.”
Mr Johnson admitted on Tuesday that the country had "had more than enough of this disease" and promised a return to normal life by this time next year.
He said he was “working night and day to repel this virus, and we will succeed, just as this country has seen off every alien invader for the last thousand years”.
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
New schools in Dubai
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make
When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.
“You get growth upon growth upon growth, followed by more growth. The earlier you start the process, the more it will all roll up,” says Chris Davies, chartered financial planner at The Fry Group in Dubai.
This table shows how much you would have in your pension at age 65, depending on when you start and how much you pay in (it assumes your investments grow 7 per cent a year after charges and you have no other savings).
|
Age
|
$250 a month
|
$500 a month
|
$1,000 a month
|
|
25
|
$640,829
|
$1,281,657
|
$2,563,315
|
|
35
|
$303,219
|
$606,439
|
$1,212,877
|
|
45
|
$131,596
|
$263,191
|
$526,382
|
|
55
|
$44,351
|
$88,702
|
$177,403
|
