AFP, London
The British government's plan to scrap day-to-day pandemic restrictions in Britain next week is reckless and has no basis in science, international experts warned on Friday with one arguing it amounts to premeditated murder.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this week it was "highly probable" the worst of the coronavirus pandemic was over as he pressed ahead with Monday's reopening, despite the Delta variant spreading out of control.
He has said Britain can reopen because two-thirds of adults are now fully vaccinated, but the country's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warned that infection rates were on track to reach "quite scary" levels.
International scientists including advisers to other governments had brutal words for Mr Johnson.
"I've written that I believe that the strategy of herd immunity is actually murderous," United States scientist William Haseltine said after an emergency discussion among experts about the British plan.
Aiming for herd immunity would mean pursuing a policy in the knowledge that it would lead to many thousands of deaths, he said.
"It is a disaster as a policy," he added.
The British government denies it is pursuing a policy of "herd immunity" by letting the Delta variant rip, but concedes that daily infection rates could surge to 100,000 in the weeks ahead, which would put further pressure on hospitals.
