A SAGE psychologist lashed out at Sajid Javid's 'frightening' plan to ditch all lockdown measures by July 19 despite more than half of adults in England having received both vaccines - after the new Health Secretary urged people to live with coronavirus 'as we already do with flu'.
Professor Stephen Reicher, who has been advising the Government on its response to the pandemic, wrote on Twitter today: 'It is frightening to have a 'Health' Secretary who still thinks Covid is flu, who is unconcerned at levels of infection, who doesn't realise that those who do best for health also do best for the economy, who wants to ditch all protections while only half of us are vaccinated.
'Above all, it is frightening to have a 'Health' Secretary who wants to make all protections a matter of personal choice when the key message of the pandemic is 'this isn't an 'I' thing, it's a 'we' thing. Your behaviour affects my health. Get your head around the 'we' concept''.
The Department of Health has been approached for comment.
The broadside from the University of St Andrews academic comes after Mr Javid, who replaced disgraced Matt Hancock last weekend after the former Health Secretary was caught flouting lockdown with his mistress, called the health reasons for lifting restrictions 'compelling'.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, the new Health Secretary says the UK is 'on track' to escape almost every vestige of lockdown on July 19, adding: 'We will have a country that is not just freer, but healthier, too.'
But he makes no secret of the challenges he faces as Health Secretary, admitting that he has 'the biggest in-tray I've had at any department - and I've run five'.
In a further signal of a change of thinking in government after Mr Hancock left high office, Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick today announced that wearing face masks will no longer be compulsory after the so-called Freedom Day later this month.
The Housing Secretary said the latest coronavirus data is 'very positive' as Boris Johnson prepares for the final stage in his lockdown exit roadmap. Speaking to Sky News, he said 'the state won't be telling you what to do' after rules are eased and there will be a shift in emphasis towards 'personal choice' and judgement.
The Prime Minister is preparing to announce a raft of measures to come into force from July 19 which will 'make Britain the most open country in Europe'.
The Mail on Sunday can reveal that under plans expected to be signed off by the Cabinet tomorrow:
The Prime Minister is 'determined' that fully vaccinated Britons will be able to travel to amber-list countries including Spain and Greece without having to self-isolate when they return; Wearing face masks will become voluntary everywhere – including on public transport – with the exception of hospitals and other healthcare settings; Those who have received two doses of a vaccine will not be required to self-isolate or take Covid-19 tests if they are alerted that they have come into contact with someone with the virus – but tests will still be available for all those who want them; The school 'bubbles' system that has seen hundreds of thousands of pupils being forced to self-isolate at home will be axed and replaced with daily testing; Restaurants, pubs and shops will no longer have to demand that customers provide their personal data or sign in with a 'QR' code.
SAGE psychologist Professor Stephen Reicher (left) lashed out at 'frightening' Sajid Javid's 'bonkers' plan to ditch all lockdown measures by July 19 after the new Health Secretary (right) called the health case for scrapping restrictions 'compelling' and urged people to live with coronavirus 'as we already do with flu'
Professor Reicher wrote on Twitter today: 'It is frightening to have a 'Health' Secretary who still thinks Covid is flu, who is unconcerned at levels of infection, who doesn't realise that those who do best for health also do best for the economy, who wants to ditch all protections while only half of us are vaccinated'
More than half of English residents have now had both coronavirus vaccines as daily cases rise by 161 per cent in a fortnight
