Top scientists have warned thousands of people are set to die if and when Boris Johnson ends England’s coronavirus lockdown on 19 July.
In an “emergency” press conference in which some Covid-19 experts spoke out against the government allowing mass infection across the population, the prime minister was told: “Those who claim victory too easily will fail.”
It comes after Johnson announced on Monday that most mitigations against the virus will be dropped when the lockdown ends.
This end date is currently set for 19 July, with final confirmation from the PM due on Monday.
On Thursday, medical journal The Lancet published a piece, signed by 97 scientists and experts, warning lifting restrictions will be “dangerous and premature”.
The government itself has acknowledged Covid cases will soon reach 100,000 a dayas restrictions are lifted.
In the press conference arranged following the publication of The Lancet article, editor Dr Richard Horton pointed to modelling from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation suggesting nearly 10,000 people could die from the disease by 1 October.
