Don’t go to the pub with friends after coronavirus lockdown measures are eased, top medic warns Britons
- Dr Jenny Harries said not going to the pub is the best way to stop spread of Covid
- She was asked if gatherings would be allowed to resume before pubs can reopen
- Dr Harries said mixing with friends outside the house in a pub would be bad idea
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
People will have to carefully consider how they travel to outdoor spaces as lockdown restrictions are eased and should avoid going to the pub, one of the UK’s top medics has said.
While being outside – where the virus does not survive as long – is generally safer, people’s actions and how they get to their destination will be important, England’s deputy chief medical officer said.
Acknowledging lots of people are keen to get back to the pub, Dr Jenny Harries said not going is the best way to reduce the risk of catching and spreading Covid-19.
Dr Jenny Harries (left) and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick (right) were asked at the daily Downing Street briefing whether mass gatherings would likely be allowed to resume before pubs are permitted to reopen
Dr Harries (pictured) said mixing with friends and others outside your household in a small environment like a pub would not be a good idea
She and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick were asked at the daily Downing Street briefing whether mass gatherings would likely be allowed to resume before pubs are permitted to reopen.
Mr Jenrick said the fact the virus’s rate of transmission is ‘significantly less’ outdoors will be a factor to be considered in any easing of the lockdown.
But he said adding in public transport makes it ‘a more complex picture’.
Dr Harries said mixing with friends and others outside your household in a small environment like a pub would not be a good idea.
She explained: ‘If you go as a family unit and sit in one place and you’ve got the same exposure there that you would in your house at home, that’s probably quite a safe environment.
‘If you go with a whole load of friends that you haven’t seen from before the coronavirus lockdown, sit in a pub in a very small environment, lean well over each other on the table and stay there for some hours face-to-face, that’s really not a good thing to do.’
She said another potentially high-risk activity is people travelling in cars with others outside their family unit.
Dr Harries added: ”Don’t go to the pub on the way” is probably the one to reduce your risk, although I recognise that everybody is wanting to do that.’
Earlier this week her colleague, fellow deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam also played down the prospect of an imminent return to outdoor activities, saying the virus would come back unless a ‘painstaking’ approach was taken in easing the lockdown.
Dr Harries added: ”Don’t go to the pub on the way” is probably the one to reduce your risk, although I recognise that everybody is wanting to do that’ (file photo)