With those additions, yesterday there were a record 12,872 new cases in the UK – nearly double Friday’s 6,989 – and 49 deaths. The Government said the hitch means that “the total reported over the coming days will include additional cases from between September 24 and October 1, increasing the number of cases reported.” The increase came as tighter restrictions were put in place in Liverpool, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Warrington.
Six other areas – Barrow-in-Furness, Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East, Wakefield, Rotherham and Luton – were added to the virus watchlist.
The Government also indicated pubs could be closed in the worst-hit areas, such as Merseyside and Liverpool. Recent clampdowns have prompted dozens of GPs to write to Matt Hancock to demand the Government think again about its response to coronavirus, as the harm being done now “outweighs the benefits”.
Sixty-six family practitioners, including physicians and broadcasters Phil Hammond, Ellie Cannon, Rosemary Leonard and Sarah Jarvis, wrote to the Health Secretary yesterday urging him to “consider non-Covid harms and deaths with equal standing as the reported deaths from Covid”.
They say that while GPs backed the first lockdown, when less was known about the virus, their position is now “transformationally different,” as “the harms to long-term wellbeing begin to outweigh the benefits”.
Matt Hancock is being urged to rethink the Government’s strategy (Image: Getty)
The doctors say the response to the pandemic must urgently change: “Now is a critical pivotal point – we must recognise our duty to do no harm.
“We are concerned due to data and real-world experience that the one-track response threatens more lives and livelihoods than Covid-lives saved.” They cite official figures which show that 30,260 excess deaths occurred in private homes since March, with fewer than one in 10 due to Covid-19.
They also highlight the rise in excess deaths from heart problems and heart attacks during lockdown, most of which did not relate to the virus, suggesting many were caused by lack of timely care. Their letter also points to a disturbing rise in child suicides with research linking this to lockdown.
The GPs say: “Restriction to education and other activities, disruption to care and support services, tensions at home, and isolation appeared to be contributing factors”.
They add: “The older shielding population with multiple long-term health conditions, (the very group restrictions were aimed at protecting) experienced higher levels of depression, anxiety and loneliness compared with those who were not shielding and were more likely to be less physically active than usual.”
The letter concludes: “These are but a sample of the myriad harms that need to be balanced with ongoing restrictions and infection control.
“Covid deaths alone can no longer be used as the unilateral measure of harm. Public health goes beyond deaths and ICU beds. We do not wish to undermine the seriousness of pandemic management but the wider harm to babies, children, young people and adults of all ages can no longer be ignored.”
Last night, Dr Hammond said: “We are not suggesting the virus runs wild, we are saying the GP voice has been lost.
“GPs see the effects on a child who has missed six months of education or the terminally ill patient who wants to hug his friend. Many of these things are difficult to measure but instead we have been focused on one risk strategy – coronavirus.
“I am working in paediatrics and seeing the disproportionate harm that has been done to children during the pandemic. “Lockdown was accompanied by lost education, lack of exercise, worsening mental health, delayed diagnoses and increased abuse and deprivation.
Some children continue to miss out on education (Image: Getty)
“Rather than locking up a group of students at an age when they are most vulnerable to depression, self-harm and meningitis, we need to consider a reaction that respects Covid alongside other health risks.
“Those least at risk from the virus itself are most likely to be harmed by the way we have managed the pandemic. Is that fair? Covid is just one of many serious threats to public health.
“Our pandemic management needs to be more holistic. Other countries have controlled the virus without huge collateral damage to other patients.”
The GPs say the harmful effects of lockdown have also coincided with a health service which is not meeting sometimes urgent needs of its patients.
Although the NHS is “open for business”, they argue many patients avoid using it due to fears around the virus.
The NHS has been unable to meet the needs of all patients (Image: Getty)
And they highlight a series of vital non-Covid services which have become unavailable.
Dr Cannon said: “The chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, has talked of the fine path to tread between Covid harms and non-Covid risks but when professionals try to discuss this they are labelled a Covid-denier or accused of wanting to kill someone’s granny.
“It is important the middle ground view is heard and GPs have that eye on everyone in the community.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “We have been guided by experts at every stage and by staying at home and controlling the virus we took the action that has allowed us to protect the vulnerable and ensure the NHS was not overwhelmed.”
