Boris Johnson's unlocking plan is threat to world, 1,200 scientists warn

A little after the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to completely reopen the economy, a group of scientists have said UK’s unlocking is a threat to the world.

Experts fear that when the society is completely unlocked, there is a chance that variants that are vaccine-resistant can cause another surge in Covid cases around the world.

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The UK is a global transportation hub, especially in Europe. So, if any new variant is found in the UK, it could easily spread around the world, scientists warned at an emergency summit.

Nearly 1,200 scientists signed a letter to the Lancet journal claiming that the strategy proposed by John’s team at Downing Street poses a danger that vaccine-resistant variants could develop faster.

Government advisers of Israel, Italy, and New Zealand were among few of the experts who warned the Johnson government against reopening the economy.

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"In New Zealand, we have always looked to the UK for leadership when it comes to scientific expertise, which is why it’s so remarkable that it is not following even basic public health principles," said Michael Baker, a professor of public health at the University of Otago.

Senior adviser of the World Health Organization (WHO), Prof José Martin-Moreno of the University of Valencia, questioned the UK government about its decision to reopen even though thousands have lost their lives to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We cannot understand why this is happening in spite of the scientific knowledge that you have," he asked.