Mr.Talha Posted July 27, 2021 Posted July 27, 2021 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57981899 The prime minister has urged people to "remain cautious" and not jump to "premature conclusions" following the latest fall in UK Covid cases. Boris Johnson said: "This is still a dangerous disease." The number of new infections in the UK fell for the sixth day in a row - but is still more than 10 times higher than the levels seen in early May. A senior government adviser said he was hopeful the worst of the pandemic would be over by October. Epidemiologist Prof Neil Ferguson, who previously said 100,000 Covid cases a day was "almost inevitable" after England's unlocking on 19 July said: "The effect of vaccines is hugely reducing the risk of hospitalisations and death. "And I'm positive that by late September or October time we will be looking back at most of the pandemic. "We will have Covid with us, we will still have people dying from Covid, but we'll have put the bulk of the pandemic behind us." Mr Johnson said: "I've noticed, obviously, that we're six days into some better figures. But it's very, very important that we don't allow ourselves to run away with premature conclusions about this. "Step four of the opening-up only took place a few days ago. People have got to remain very cautious, and that remains the approach of the government." On his first visit after self-isolating for 10 days, the prime minister acknowledged frustration over the vast number of people being pinged by the NHS app and being told to quarantine. "I totally understand that, particularly now as we're starting to see some better figures," he said. "But I think everybody understands that this is still a very dangerous disease. "We do need to use the tools that we have. Self-isolation is the one that we've got. I urge people to do it." The new test-to-release system would come in on August 16 but "until then, please could everybody stick with the programme," he said. The prime minister declined to confirm or deny reports that students might be required to prove their vaccination status to attend lectures or stay in halls of residence, only stating: "Young people are doing an incredible job of coming forward to get vaccinations." Meanwhile, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has said that those who refuse a vaccine are "selfish" and warned they will be barred from some events. The UK government is considering the use of vaccine passports for some large scale events, such as football matches, having already announced they will be required for nightclub entry in England from the end of September. During a visit to Glasgow, Mr Gove said: "Ultimately, if you can be vaccinated and you refuse to, that is a selfish act. You're putting other people's health and lives at risk, you should get vaccinated." When asked if refusal to be jabbed should prevent attendance at some mass events, he said it depended on the nature of the event. "But if you deliberately refuse to get vaccinated and there are certain venues and certain events that require a certain level of safety, then...those venues and those events will be barred to you," he said. Prof Ferguson, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "too early to tell" if Covid cases would reach 100,000 a day, but he was "happy to be wrong - if it's wrong in the right direction". He said: "We're not completely out of the woods, but the equation has fundamentally changed."
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