A senior government scientific adviser appealed to the public to act responsibly as the coronavirus lockdown is gradually lifted and not ‘tear the pants out of it’.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer, warned that taking advantage of the relaxed measures due to be introduced next week runs the risk of triggering a second peak of the virus.
He compared the easement of restrictions to taking the lid off a coiled spring, adding: ‘Now, you can take the lid off a little, but you haven’t disconnected the spring or broken the spring in any way. ‘If you take the lid right off – the spring’s still under tension – off it will go again.’
