Anti-racism protests undoubtedly increase risk of coronavirus spread: UK health minister
Story highlights
According to the coronavirus guidelines set by the British government, a gathering of more than six people are not allowed.
Anti-racism protests in London and other cities have triggered fears across the UK as it risks causing an increase in coronavirus cases again, as per British health minister Matt Hancock said on Sunday.
Also read: UK's situational awareness was quite poor, it cost many lives: Government scientific advisor
During an interview with Sky News, Hancock said that it is "undoubtedly a risk".
He said: "I support very strongly the argument that is being made by those who are protesting ... but the virus itself doesn’t discriminate and gathering in large groups is temporarily against the rules precisely because it increases the risk of the spread of this virus."
According to the coronavirus guidelines set by the British government, a gathering of more than six people are not allowed.
John Edmund, one of the government's scientific advisors, said that the chances of virus spreading are lower outside and the current estimate is that around one in 1,000 people in the country is infectious.
"If you have a crowd of a few thousand people then you would expect some of those people to be infectious ... so it is a risk to have thousands of people congregating together," he told BBC TV.
London police chief Cressida Dick urged protestors to "find another way to make your views heard which does not involve coming out on the streets of London" due to the coronavirus fears.