(PresidentialWire.Com)- While the Governor of Georgia is already looking at lifting lockdown measures as early as this month, the situation is looking slightly different over in the United Kingdom.
The country’s Chief Medical Adviser, Chris Whitty, said during a press conference on Thursday that it is “wholly unrealistic” to think that lockdown measures would be lifted completely before the year ends. Whitty predicted that some form of social distancing will continue for the rest of 2020, which suggests other countries may also have to follow suit.
Even though some states are looking at reopening, the United States three-phase plan for reopening the economy does include sensible social distancing measures. This includes reducing capacities in bars and restaurants, and ensuring shops that do open regularly disinfect floors and surfaces.
During a Downing Street press conference, Whitty explained, “In the long run, the exit from this is going to be one of two things ideally.”
“A vaccine…or highly effective drugs so that people stop dying of this disease even if they catch it, or which can prevent this disease in vulnerable people.”
Whitty said that having either a vaccine or super effective drug before the end of the year is small, and that people of the United Kingdom should be realistic in their expectations.
“We’re going to have to rely on other social measures, which of course are very socially disruptive as everyone is finding at the moment,” he said.
Whitty made the comments shortly after Matt Hancock, the UK Health Secretary filling in for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, announced that the United Kingdom has now hit the peak of the first wave of the pandemic.
“This disease is not going to be eradicated, it is not going to disappear, so we have to accept that we are working with a disease that we are going to be with globally for the foreseeable future,” Whitty added.
He said the country must be realistic and if people think life will return to normal and the virus will suddenly disappear, then their expectations are “unrealistic.”
As part of the social distancing measures, the British people may be asked to continue wearing masks in daily life. The UK government is yet to implement rules requiring masks, though health officials have repeatedly touted the benefits of doing so.
