Rishi Sunak’s resolution to carry out a U-turn and impose Covid checks on travellers from China was dismissed on Saturday night time as a purely political manoeuvre that might make no distinction to the rise or fall of instances within the UK.
The well being secretary Steve Barclay was briefed by the chief medical officer Chris Whitty on Thursday and was informed there was no clear proof of great advantages from testing travellers from China. The Observer has learnt that on the next day, Barclay mentioned the problems with Sunak, who however determined it was extra essential for Britain to align itself with these nations – the US, Japan, Italy and Spain – that had already imposed such checks.
Scientists chatting with the Observer agreed with Whitty that screening individuals coming from China would make little distinction. They mentioned numbers of contaminated individuals have been already very excessive within the UK and that airport checks had been proven to be unreliable in pinpointing illness carriers.
“I don’t assume it’s seemingly the UK will get any public well being profit from this measure,” mentioned Professor Mark Woolhouse of Edinburgh College. “This may solely have been finished for political causes.”
He was backed by Professor Paul Hunter of the College of East Anglia: “Level-of-entry and point-of-exit screening for critical infections have been proven – on many events – to be ineffective at controlling illnesses. This has been demonstrated by research that have been carried out earlier than and after the emergence of Covid-19. One research recommended that about 60% of instances are missed this fashion. This isn’t going to guard the UK inhabitants as a result of it isn’t going to cease the unfold. So it’s laborious to see what will likely be gained by imposing these checks.”
This level was backed by Woolhouse: “Another excuse for imposing the checks has centered on the necessity to observe probably harmful new Covid variants. However we already know of 1 that’s spreading quickly within the US. Variant XBB.1.5 now accounts for about 40% of instances there however nobody right here appears nervous about it. As a substitute, numerous noise is being made about hypothetical variants rising in China.”
Dr Matt Kneale, co-chair of the Medical doctors’ Affiliation UK, mentioned that something that might minimise the affect of Covid on the NHS can be welcome, however added: “I don’t assume we needs to be pinpointing China.” Hospitals have been already battling the “massive burden from Covid, influenza and RSV [respiratory syncytial virus],” he mentioned. “If we are able to minimise Covid infections that might be helpful, however it’s not the be-all and end-all.”
The British Medical Affiliation additionally warned that Britain was coming into the brand new yr with the NHS “on its knees”. On Saturday, it urged the federal government to take additional motion to stop a “crippling enhance” in Covid instances amid an already overwhelmed healthcare system because of the workforce disaster and the “twindemic” of flu and Covid.
The commerce union {and professional} physique for medical doctors within the UK pressured it was not simply the Covid menace from China that needs to be worrying the UK and warned that the subsequent variant was “simply as more likely to be homegrown as imported”.
Chinese language president Xi Jinping referred to as on Saturday for extra effort and unity because the nation entered a “new section” in its strategy to combating the pandemic, in his first public feedback on Covid since his authorities modified course three weeks in the past and relaxed its rigorous coverage of lockdowns and mass testing.
“At current, the epidemic prevention and management is coming into a brand new section, it’s nonetheless a time of wrestle, everyone seems to be persevering and dealing laborious, and the daybreak is forward,” he mentioned in a televised speech.
