An open letter to responsible employers (and the general public) regarding the changes to UK COVID-19 guidance from the 19th of July
By: Steve Moss
Tags: Open Letter, Public Health, Covid-19, Responsibility, Sars Cov2

I apologise in advance for the lengthy letter. This matter is something about which I am exceptionally passionate. I hope you have the time to read it?

My name is Dr Stephen Moss and my background is in the biological and biomedical sciences, though my main focus now is computational and evolutionary genomics. I have a great deal of interest and some experience (across the last ~15 years) in infectious disease epidemiology and global public health, alongside microbiology and infection control. I work part-time as a freelance consultant, in my spare time, with various research institutes and universities, as well as volunteering at my local hospital on weekends in a patient-facing role – in addition to my full-time job working on developing technical solutions to combat climate change. I have been involved with supporting the research (particularly looking at the genomics and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 through time) and working on the front line caring for patients. I have, therefore, seen the impact of this pandemic first hand.

I would like to emphasize that the changes on the 19th of July are an end to mandatory requirements, based on legislation, for current public health measures. These measures are still very necessary, if not more so, especially given the huge increase in positive Delta-variant cases over recent weeks. Just because we can stop doing these things, doesn’t mean we should. We need to be extremely cautious and think of others. I think the government is making the wrong decision here, again, and moving too quickly. We’re only a few months away from being able to achieve success (i.e. a much greater level of vaccine-mediated “herd” immunity) with the vaccination programme, so I can’t understand why this decision is being made in haste.

I think we are going to see a substantial summer wave with many tens of thousands of cases per day and hundreds of daily deaths. With no official measures in place, it is likely to be much larger than the previous two waves in terms of infection and risks the rise of variants of concern that reduce the efficacy of vaccines and protection provided by vaccine-mediated immunity. This is not the time to be stepping back and acting like the pandemic is over. If anything we need to have more resolve and focus more strongly on emphasising the importance of individual responsibility. This is especially important in the workplace, given it is a high-risk environment for transmission due to increased numbers of contacts, closer proximity to others over longer time periods and generally inadequate ventilation.

I work 100% remote (except with my role at the hospital) but shall be continuing with physical distancing, wearing of face coverings, increasing ventilation and more rigorous general personal hygiene measures for some time to come in any higher risk/public settings. In fact, I intend to continue wearing face coverings and engaging in these measures as a matter of course in the face of any infectious disease in the future, including influenza and the common cold, as do our Asian cousins. It is common courtesy and we need to make it part of our culture. It is our moral and ethical duty to ensure that we minimise morbidity and mortality in those that are more vulnerable and understand that our individual actions can have huge ramifications on others.

As with many other responsible employers (Waterstones are a prime example), I would suggest that the corporate guidance remains the same for the foreseeable future. At least until the spring of next year. We have been forced to take on that responsibility from an inept government. This is especially important, given we don’t know who may or may not be more vulnerable and given the risk of morbidity, particularly around Long COVID, in any member of the general population. This is not the time to be acting like things are over, regardless of the irresponsible messaging from the government and the press.

I personally dislike the marketing of this pandemic by the government and the media with the use of words and phrases like “restrictions” and “loss of personal freedoms”. I detest the recent focus on “freedom day”. I think it is likely to stoke the fire and to some extent negate our hard work over these last few months. There are many vulnerable people that are afraid and essentially being forced into exile from everyday society. These “restrictions” should have been proposed as what they are, necessary public health interventions that are required to ensure the good health of as many individuals as possible and something that we should, as caring and compassionate individuals, feel proud to support in reducing the suffering of others. The government should have done much more to support individuals and businesses throughout this time, particularly financially. This is what we get for having ministers interpret the information of scientists from their own biased viewpoints, with an often greater focus on economics. The truth is, a healthy nation is a wealthy nation and investing in public health and pushing towards Zero COVID would have been much better for the country economically.

Then, of course, there is global vaccine equity and the disproportionate suffering of less privileged and poorer individuals, particularly in those people from differing ethnic backgrounds in this country and other nations, but the government has now voted to cut foreign aid — though I digress.

I would recommend that anyone read and watch the following resources to understand why it is so important that we remain steadfast in our resolve against what is a massive threat to global public health.

Mass infection is not an option: we must do more to protect our young https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01589-0/fulltext

Mass infection is not an option: Press conference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYTyi2pFXxk

Emergency international summit on UK’s ‘freedom day’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4imfAwdFMQ

Why social solidarity is still needed https://www.independentsage.org/why-social-solidarity-is-still-needed/

“Freedom Day” is on the horizon, and brings with it the risk of mass covid-19 infection https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/07/16/freedom-day-is-on-the-horizon-and-brings-with-it-the-risk-of-mass-covid-19-infection/

Trish Greenhalgh: Freedom Day, but at what cost? https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/07/06/trish-greenhalgh-freedom-day-but-at-what-cost/

General resources promoting the underlying science:

Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies

Independent SAGE https://www.independentsage.org

John Snow Memorandum https://www.johnsnowmemo.com

World Health Organisation https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

I am happy to discuss any of this in more detail with anyone involved in these decisions within businesses in order to give the benefit from my experience, provide input and advice or even do a Q&A discussing any concerns etc. people may have.

I’m as eager as anyone to be able to go about my daily business without needing to worry, as much, about the risk of transmission of disease, which is never going to be zero, especially with our encroachment into the natural habits of disease vectors and natural reservoirs, but I just want us to do it slowly and responsibly, so we don’t risk taking a huge step backwards.

Many thanks for your time.