Image source,Reuters
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on September 14 two sets of anti-epidemic plans for the new crown virus in England this autumn and winter.
While the new crown epidemic is still severe, the United Kingdom, which has entered the season of frequent respiratory diseases in autumn and winter, announced two plans to respond to the epidemic in England, and the world‘s attention has also caused controversy.
Due to the decentralization of power in the United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own roles in health care and education and have their own policies. The population of England accounts for more than 80% of the entire population of the UK, so England’s epidemic prevention policy is particularly important to the UK as a whole.
The British government has always stated that the anti-epidemic action is carried out under “scientific guidance.” The big data statistical model established by British scientists is an important basis for the government to fight the epidemic; the “Oxford AstraZeneca” new crown vaccine developed by British scientists is also the world‘s first research and development. One of the important vaccines in use.
When announcing the latest response plan, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson still emphasized that the new crown epidemic “still still has a great risk” and the number of infections is still rising. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies of the British government said that the big data statistical model shows that by October this year, the number of hospitalizations due to the new crown virus may reach 2,000 to 7,000 per day.
What are the details of the two plans?
The “Autumn and Winter Epidemic Prevention Plan” announced by the British government is divided into two plans, A and B.
- A third booster vaccine will be provided to approximately 30 million people, targeted at people over 50, young people with health problems, and medical and nursing workers working in the frontline
- Provide vaccines to adolescents aged 12-15 and continue to encourage those who have not been vaccinated to vaccinate
- Remind people that if you have a meeting indoors, let the air circulate and wear a mask in crowded places
Plan B will be launched when the UK’s national healthcare service system is “under unbearable pressure”, but this plan will only be implemented when there is no other way but to do so.
- In some cases, it is mandatory to wear a mask
- Require people to work from home
- Introduce a vaccine passport
When talking about Plan B, Prime Minister Johnson stated that “it will not necessarily be rolled out all at once, but in a gradual manner.” Johnson said, “Because many people have a certain degree of immunity, asking people to change their behaviors a little bit can have a greater effect.”
He added that this will “make us confident that we don’t have to go back to the state of lockdown in the past.”
Image source,Getty Images
Britain was fully unblocked, bars and restaurants were booming.
What is the focus of the epidemic prevention program?
In the autumn and winter epidemic prevention program launched by the United Kingdom, it can be seen that two aspects are the most important considerations:
First, make every effort to avoid closing the city again.
The BBC political affairs correspondent Nick Eardley analyzed that the British government hopes to avoid reintroducing quarantine restrictions in England. Small measures such as wearing a mask or working at home are also hoped to be avoided.” All in all, all measures that affect economic activities and restrict the movement of social personnel are the last option.
Second, rely heavily on vaccines to fight the epidemic.
BBC health reporter Nick Triggle analyzed and pointed out that the government’s message is very clear: This year, we will rely on vaccines to protect us through the winter.
He pointed out that what the government did not explicitly say was how bad the situation would be to change this direction and implement Plan B.
In other words, there is a possibility that the British government has not completely ruled out: in order to avoid the NHS of the national medical system from being hit by the epidemic, it is still possible that the city will be closed again this winter.
Image source,Getty Images
The closure of the city to fight the epidemic has brought serious economic pressure. The British government hopes that this winter, relying on vaccines, can avoid large-scale lockdown measures.
The number of new coronavirus infections in the UK dropped in July, but rose again in August and early September. On Tuesday (September 14), the number of confirmed infections in the UK was 26,628.
So far, 89% of the British population over 16 years of age have received the first dose of vaccine, and 81% have received two doses.
What are the disputes in the UK and abroad?
So far, most of the population in developed countries have received at least one shot of the vaccine, but in regions such as Africa, the proportion of the population vaccinated is very low.
The international inequality caused by vaccines is still very significant and serious.
In July this year, data released by the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom showed that the lack of vaccines in low-income and low-middle-income countries and regions will have a long-term and far-reaching impact on social and economic recovery.
Within the United Kingdom, some experts have long criticized the government’s plan to promote the third booster vaccine, believing that the British government should help countries that do not have enough vaccines to vaccinate their citizens.
A team led by Professor Sir Andrew Pollard of the University of Oxford developed the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. He believes that the priority now should be to donate vaccines to countries that lack vaccines.
Sarah Gilbert (Sarah Gilbert), another professor at Oxford University, also agreed with this view, saying that strengthening needles may not be needed by everyone.
In August this year, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tan Desai once called for a two-month suspension of vaccination boosters in order to reduce global vaccine inequality.
When announcing the new autumn and winter epidemic prevention plan on the 14th, the British Prime Minister said: “The result of our vaccination is that the United Kingdom is the most free country and open economy in Europe that is not restricted by the epidemic.”
In order to continue to maintain this advantage in the UK, vaccine boosters now seem to be the UK’s “national policy” against the epidemic. But another question raised by many experts is, will there be a fourth stitch after the third stitch?