COVID-19: Collective immunity is “not the consideration” to set the August 16 date for changes to self-isolation rules, according to Boris Johnson | Politics News

Boris Johnson told MPs that a possible collective immunity is “not the consideration” to delay changes to the COVID self-isolation rules until August 16.

The Prime Minister faces a backlash after announcing his intention to move forward with the final lifting of coronavirus restrictions in England on July 19 – but the government will not ease quarantine rules for double-bitten adults, or those under 18, until 28 days later.

This has led to claims that millions of people in England may be forced to undergo 10-day quarantine periods over the next several weeks – if they come in contact with an infected person – amid the spike in rates of COVID.

Following Health Secretary Sajid Javid’s admission that there could be 100,000 cases of coronavirus this summer, companies have warned of economic damage caused by large numbers of workers needing to be quarantined .

The Evening Standard reported on Wednesday that health ministry officials expect COVID infections to peak in mid-August, after which – according to the newspaper – they believe cases will start to decline.

A source told the newspaper that COVID “will cross the unvaccinated and single doses, but because so many people now have antibodies and can resist them, then it will start to drop because there will be no more. people to be infected ”.

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The Daily Mail also reported that Health Department officials are now referring to a “hybrid immunity” strategy involving inoculation of older, more vulnerable people and vaccinations combined with natural immunity by infection in the groups. of younger age.

However, appearing before the powerful House of Commons Liaison Committee on Wednesday, Mr Johnson denied that the prospect of ‘herd immunity’ was part of the calculation of the establishment of …