Yet much like at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, and then last winter, the decision to do so flies in the face of the data and modelling presented to ministers.
The scientists' warnings have been clear: without the immediate imposition of further restrictions we can expect millions of people to become infected in the coming weeks, leading to intense hospital pressures and, potentially, thousands of deaths.
The government's SPI-M-O group of experts, which reports to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said that “more stringent measures” will be needed to tackle the rising Omicron wave.
However, Boris Johnson and his ministers see it differently. For now, there are too many “uncertainties” in the data to justify acting. Instead, the government wants more time to determine the rate at which infection turns to hospitalisation, the severity of illness, and the effectiveness of the boosters in fighting off Omicron.
Denne historien er fra December 21, 2021-utgaven av The Independent.
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Denne historien er fra December 21, 2021-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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