A scientist advising the Government on coronavirus has called for tighter lockdown restrictions, describing the current rules as “the problem” amid rising infections and deaths.
Professor Susan Michie, director of the Centre for Behaviour Change at UCL, said an “overwhelming” number of people were sticking to lockdown rules as she questioned how Government messaging was being targeted at the public.
It comes after the Government launched a new advert that asks people to “look in the eyes” of frontline medical workers and Covid-19 patients and tells them to stay at home.
“The advert, the Government messages and Priti Patel talking about fines is all on the basis that the main problem is that people aren’t adhering to the rules that exist,” Prof Michie told Times Radio.
“But actually all the data show that the overwhelming number of people are sticking to the rules with one exception which is self-isolation.
“In fact I would say that it’s not so much people not sticking to the rules, but it’s the rules themselves that are the problem.”
