DAILY coronavirus case numbers could reach 100,000 per day in the summer as restrictions in England are abandoned, according to Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
Yesterday Boris Johnson announced that from July 19 there will be next to no virus rules in England – with masks to become personal choice and distancing restrictions axed.
There will be no legal requirement to check in to hospitality venues for contact tracing purposes, working from home guidance will be scrapped and the rule of six on indoor meetings will cease.
However despite the bonfire of laws, Johnson admitted this is not the end of the pandemic and he expects UK case totals to reach 50,000 a day by July 19.
READ MORE: Covid in England: Sage warned UK Government of 'significant risk' of ending restrictions
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning, Javid said: “By the time we get to the 19th, we would expect case numbers by then to be at least double what they are now, so around 50,000 new cases a day.
“As we ease and go into the summer, we expect them to rise significantly and they could go as high as 100,000 case numbers.
“We want to be very straightforward about this, about what we can expect in terms of case numbers.
“But what matters more than anything is hospitalisation and death numbers, and that is where the link has been severely weakened.”
Also this morning, Professor Sir Mark Walport, the UK Government’s former chief scientific adviser, said the lifting of Covid restrictions will make it “even more favourable” for the virus.
He told Sky News: “I don’t think anyone would have imagined taking off all restrictions at a time when there are 25,000 infections a day, doubling about every nine days.
“The reason it’s become possible for ministers to make this decision is because the vaccine programme has become so very successful and has weakened, but certainly not broken, the link between infection and the most serious consequences of disease.
“As the Prime Minister says, by July 19 it’s quite likely there’ll be 50,000 cases a day and when we do take off the restrictions it will make the conditions for transmission of the virus even more favourable for the virus.
“I think there is a very high priority to keep the vaccines up, and I think the other thing is the guidance needs to be very clear for people.”
Walport added: “People are going to have to behave responsibly and that guidance really matters.”
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