London, December 22:
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s January visit to India, where he is to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade, may not take place because of concerns over the rapidly-spreading mutated version of the novel coronavirus in UK, a senior British doctor has said.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the Chair of the Council of the British Medical Association, said on Tuesday that while it was still too early for the British government to decide on Johnson’s visit, the trip “may not be possible, particularly if this level of infection and spread continues”,
“Obviously we can’t make a decision today about something five weeks from now… changes to the virus’ reality happen on a day-to-day basis. But one consideration is that the trip to India may not be possible, particularly if this level of infection and spread continues,” Dr Nagpaul was quoted as saying.
“But if the lockdown in London and other parts – the UK capital and other areas are under extremely stringent Tier 4 restrictions – controls the spread of the virus, then may be,” he added.
The mutant strain is 70 per cent more transmissible, which Dr Nagpaul said made containing it a bigger challenge.
Dr Nagpaul pointed out that occupancy levels at hospitals were at 90 per cent, and that an extended period of lockdown may be needed in the UK to contain the virus.
“We have a serious problem because hospitals in England are seeing more Covid patients now than in the first wave. Many hospitals are at full capacity – last week 44 ambulances had to be re-directed to remote facilities because there were no beds at local hospitals,” he said.
