Only half of Britons are self-isolating when they get coronavirus symptoms

Only about half of people with coronavirus symptoms self-isolate for a week, scientists advising the Government have suggested, raising concerns over whether future outbreaks can be prevented.

The disclosure of low compliance with self-isolation – a key rule in curbing the spread of Covid-19 – comes days before the lockdown is eased.  

Under the NHS test and trace programme, people in England will be told to quarantine themselves for two weeks, even if they don’t show symptoms, if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive.

People walk past closed shops on Oxford Street in central London’s main high street retail shopping area on May 29, 2020 ahead of some shops reopening from their coronavirus shutdown from next week

The four Home Nations now have significantly different sets of lockdown rules in place

The four Home Nations now have significantly different sets of lockdown rules in place

The government charts previously stated that level four required 'current social distancing measures and restrictions'

A document released on Friday shows behavioural experts informing the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) warned of the low compliance seen on a Department of Health and Social Care tracker.

They said: ‘We strongly recommend monitoring and rapid research into adherence rates to all key behaviours and how to improve them, noting that based on DHSC tracker only around 50 per cent of people are currently reporting self-isolating for at least seven days when symptomatic with cough or fever.’

Their warning came on April 29 and an updated figure was not immediately available, but now people across the UK are beginning to be allowed to meet up outside, at a distance, and shops are starting to reopen.

SAGE released a raft of documents in a drive for transparency, including the minutes of 34 of their meetings since they began convening on coronavirus in January.

The R rate is the critical value on which the Government is basing decisions as to whether to ease the lockdown. Pictured, people enjoying the warm weather in Potters Field next to Tower Bridge, London, on May 29

The R rate is the critical value on which the Government is basing decisions as to whether to ease the lockdown. Pictured, people enjoying the warm weather in Potters Field next to Tower Bridge, London, on May 29

On May 5, scientists stressed that alterations to retail, leisure and schools not pushing the transmission rate ‘R’ above the crucial number of one are dependent on ‘an effective test and trace programme’ being in place.

As he launched the NHS test and trace programme this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted it would not reach the ‘world-beating’ standard he had promised until ‘the next days as we go through June’.

From Monday different households will be able to see family and friends in groups of six, although social distancing measures will still have to be followed.   

They will also be permitted to use gardens and private outdoor spaces, which was previously banned. Mr Johnson said that meant barbecues are possible.

Schools will start to reopen from Monday, and non-essential shops will follow from June 15. 

Mr Johnson explicitly said last night that barbecues could be back on the agenda as long as people are careful with hygiene and social distancing. 

But the SAGE minutes show scientists stressed that 80 per cent of an individual’s contact would need to be traced for the programme to be effective.

They warned that there is a risk individuals become ‘less willing to comply’ if they are repeatedly asked to isolate and ‘are impacted financially’, heaping pressure on ministers to ensure there is sufficient support.

Downing Street was unable to say how many calls were made or contacts traced during the programme’s first day of operation on Thursday.

Environment Secretary George Eustice insisted ‘calls were definitely made’ by tracers.

‘I don’t know how many cases were dealt with yesterday, I’m aware though that calls were made,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

The Sage minutes also laid out a series of potential hazards of mistiming the relaxation, from thousands of unnecessary deaths to regional riots. 

The advisory has been warned that social distancing must be kept in place until the virus is gone and that returning to offices, hairdressers and nail bars could push the outbreak out of control again.

A handout image released by 10 Downing Street, shows Britain's Environment Secretary George Eustice attending a remote press conference to update the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street in central London on May 19, 2020

A handout image released by 10 Downing Street, shows Britain’s Environment Secretary George Eustice attending a remote press conference to update the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street in central London on May 19, 2020

Sage, the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said infections in care homes and hospitals are pushing up the overall R number. Pictured, support workers with Michael Kidd, 82, at NHS Seacole Centre at Headley Court, Surrey

Sage, the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said infections in care homes and hospitals are pushing up the overall R number. Pictured, support workers with Michael Kidd, 82, at NHS Seacole Centre at Headley Court, Surrey 

Papers warned that easing the lockdown region-by-region could lead to violent protests and tensions within the UK, but that different groups of people may face varying rules based on their risk of dying if they catch the disease.

The release of the documents – which SAGE committed to do for better transparency – comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week announced the biggest lockdown changes so far.

Schools will start to reopen next week, along with some outdoor businesses, and people will be allowed to meet in groups of six outdoors. 

But infection rates are still high in hospitals and care homes and SAGE papers suggest that up to 25 per cent of more patients are catching the virus inside hospitals.

Scientific advice put to the Government in SAGE papers revealed: 

  • Only around 50 per cent of people will actually self-isolate for a week if they have coronavirus symptoms;
  • Regional lockdowns could increase tensions and risk violence, much of it directed at the police;
  • Face masks are beneficial and scientists told officials two weeks before the public was given the advice;
  • Test and trace will not be enough to stop the virus spreading – social distancing must carry on until the coronavirus can be eradicated; 
  • Up to 25 per cent of hospital patients diagnosed with the coronavirus caught it while they were being cared for;
  • A policy of ‘social bubbles’ could have encouraged the spread of the virus by opening the door to ‘excessive’ social networking.   

Regional lockdowns could trigger violence 

How is the lockdown being eased in England from Monday? 

What’s changing?

From Monday, people can meet outside in groups of up to six as long as those from different households continue to socially distance.  

– Can I visit family and friends?

Yes . This means that family groups of no more than six can meet in parks and private gardens for chats and even barbecues.

– How far am I allowed to travel?

There are no mileage limits set for how far you are allowed to drive to visit family and friends in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, but the general advice is to remain in your local area as much as possible.

However, people in Wales will still not be allowed to travel more than five miles from their home for any reason except work or to purchase essentials.

Great, can we hug?

Sadly no. You still cannot risk infection by being too close. The same goes for handshakes or kissing.

If young children from different households are part of the group, they must not share paddling pools, climbing frames, slides or anything that would encourage them to be closer than two metres to each other. 

Can I stay overnight?

Staying overnight at someone else’s home will still not be allowed anywhere in the UK, while even going indoors for any other reason than to access a garden or use the bathroom is prohibited.

However Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has advised that if the distance travelled to meet someone means that you have to use their bathroom, then ‘perhaps you shouldn’t be doing it’.   

Can we barbecue?

Yes, but you must wash your hands, be careful about passing food or plates and keep 6ft apart.

How about entering their house?

Only if there is no other way of getting to the back of the property. 

What about using the toilet?

You can, but you must thoroughly clean any surfaces you touch.

To be extra safe, you could even use a paper towel to open and close bathroom doors and perhaps consider using a kitchen roll to dry hands rather than a towel.

So what if it rains?

You will have to stand under an umbrella or leave. You cannot shelter in someone else’s home.

Can we camp in the garden?

No, Boris Johnson said he did not want you to stay overnight.

Do I only have to see the same group?

No, you can meet different people at different times, but try not to see too many in quick succession.

Can those shielding take part?

No, they must continue to shield if they’re in the clinically extremely vulnerable group and have had a letter from their GP.

What about the over-70s?

If they are not in the shielding group.

We are a family of six – can we meet anyone else?

No. The guidelines say you can meet only up to six people at any one time.

Can we visit a relative in a care home garden?

It would depend on circumstances and the care home’s management.

– What else will I be allowed to do under the new measures?

In England, Monday’s lockdown easing will signal the reopening of schools to allow students in nurseries, early-years settings, and Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 to return to class.

Some shops are also set to reopen, with outdoor retail and car showrooms able to resume operations. 

– When might restrictions be eased further?

Boris Johnson has flagged that more restrictions will be eased on June 15, beginning with the reopening of other non-essential retail shops such as fashion or homeware retail.

Other businesses, such as pubs, hairdressers and cinemas will have to wait until July before they can reopen, the Government has previously said.

– And what’s the timeline elsewhere in the UK?

In Scotland, there is no set timeline as for when more measures might be lifted. The government’s lockdown roadmap stipulates that a number of conditions must be met before any further action is taken, including evidence that the country’s Covid-19 transmission is successfully under control.

Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford is expected to announce on Friday that further plans on lifting restrictions will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Pending the country’s rate of transmission remaining below one, a host of further restrictions are set to be eased in Northern Ireland on June 8, including the reopening of outdoor sports facilities, car showrooms and some non-essential retail stores.

Outdoor weddings with a maximum of 10 people are also set to be allowed and hotels will be able to start taking forward bookings at their own risk.

Imposing lockdowns on a region-by-region basis wouldn’t work and could lead to a rise in attacks on the police, scientists warned. 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed this week measures may be imposed on whole towns, if there are regional flare-ups of coronavirus cases.

But ministers were warned enforcing rules on certain regions ‘would not be suitable’ for the UK – despite its apparent success in China.

In one of the SAGE papers, two security experts said doing so may ‘undermine the consensus that has been built on the need for restrictive measures’.

Professor Clifford Stott, a social psychologist at Keele University, and another author whose name was redacted said enforcing lockdowns on a region-by-region basis may ‘lead to significant issue of disorder’.

Allowing sub-sets of the population to live normally ‘undermines’ the sense of ‘we are all in this together’ spirit, the pair said. 

They added: ‘Geographical division of a large urban area in the UK will inevitably intersect with ethnic and socio-economic boundaries. 

‘Those in lower socio-economic positions are more susceptible to the virus and therefore lockdown will be more likely in areas of poverty relative to wealth.  

‘Anger arising from communities who perceive they have been locked down unfairly would be directed at police in the majority of cases. 

This is particularly problematic in areas… whose populations traditionally have more difficult historical relations with police and could easily lead to escalations.’ 

Restrictions imposed in the UK so far have yet to lead to any conflict because they have been perceived as fair, the experts said.   

They added: ‘Any sense of inequality… would likely lead to civil disorder and feed the propaganda of extremist groups and hostile states. 

‘Households may also fear retaliation if cases within a neighbourhood prevent release and may conceal cases as a result.’ 

———————————————————-
Social distancing must stay until vaccine or cure is found 

Social distancing cannot go away until the coronavirus can be wiped out, vaccinated against or cured, top scientists say. 

Government advisers regularly remind the public social distancing is ‘here to stay’ but SAGE documents ram home how indispensable it is in the long term. 

Even a highly effective test and trace system which has 100 per cent compliance from the public would not be enough to keep the R below 1 on its own, SAGE was warned.

The SPI-M group said that people must make long-term reductions to the number of people they meet up with outside of work and change how they do so.

In papers submitted in April and May the group warned: ‘Case isolation, household quarantine and app-based tracing, even with very high uptake levels, without some level of social distancing will not be sufficient to keep R below 1 on their own.’

It added: ‘Even with contact tracing in place, there will need to be sustained, deep reductions in contacts outside work and schools to keep the reproduction number below 1.’

Keeping the R below 1 is crucial for preventing a second wave.

The group said trying to restrict social distancing only to specific groups, such as the over-45s, would require ‘unrealistic’ proportions of people to agree to it. Applying it to everyone would see benefits with a lower level of compliance.

Rules expected to continue in the long-term could include keeping distance from other people (currently 2m/6’6′) and not having physical contact with people from outside your household.

The strictness of these would depend on the number of coronavirus cases being diagnosed in the population. 

——————————————————— 

Herd immunity could develop in a year but thousands would die 

One of the only ways to get rid of distancing measures without a vaccine or cure would be to try and develop herd immunity SAGE was told, but tens of thousands of people would die.

Herd immunity, in which so many people catch a virus that it struggles to spread any more, could work if it turns out people are unable to catch the illness twice.

For a brief period at the start of the outbreak the Government had considered trying to slow down the virus but let it keep going so that herd immunity would develop, but there was massive public backlash when it emerged thousands would die as a result.

In a paper submitted to SAGE in April, SPI-M said: ‘Maintaining a high incidence scenario [large number of infections] could allow measures to be progressively relaxed as population immunity developed.

‘It would, however, take around one year to allow all measures to be removed using such an approach, even if all infections resulted in an effective, long-lasting immune response.

‘Such a policy would result in tens of thousands of direct deaths from COVID-19 and it is unlikely that significant levels of population immunity could be achieved by autumn without ICU [intensive care units] being overwhelmed.’  

Up to 25% of Covid-19 hospital patients catch virus during treatment

Up to a quarter of Covid-19 who need medical treatment caught the virus in hospital, government advisers warned.

And SPI-M told ministers the figure – compiled from ‘several sources’ – suggested this figure was ‘highly likely’ to be an under-estimate. 

Scientists revealed their estimate, submitted on April 20, did not include people who acquire infection in hospital, leave and are then readmitted. 

They called for an ‘urgent investigation’ into the true burden of healthcare-acquired infections.

And the experts suggested using some hospitals solely to treat Covid-19 patients, to reduce the rate of healthcare-acquired infections. 

Rehab Support workers talk with patient Shirley Hughes, 86, as the first patients are admitted to the NHS Seacole Centre at Headley Court, Surrey on May 28, 2020, a disused military hospital, which has been converted during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic

Rehab Support workers talk with patient Shirley Hughes, 86, as the first patients are admitted to the NHS Seacole Centre at Headley Court, Surrey on May 28, 2020, a disused military hospital, which has been converted during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic

Their estimate took into account data from provided to the Department of Health on a weekly basis, as well as Public Health England figures.

It comes amid claims 40 per cent of staff at a Weston-super-Mare hospital that shut to new patients over a spike in Covid-19 have tested positive for the infection.

Separate studies have suggested up to three per cent of NHS medics on coronavirus front-line unknowingly had the virus in April.

It raised the possibility that NHS workers were spreading the disease to vulnerable patients without knowing, treating them while infectious. 

Opening pubs, restaurants and schools would speed up viral spread 

Scientists cannot say how lifting lockdown will affect the speed at which the virus is spreading but fear reopening pubs, restaurants and schools would allow it to spiral.

SPI-M warned in a paper on April 1 that the more time people spend indoors with one another, the more likely it is that a second wave of coronavirus would emerge.

The Government, as it releases lockdown restrictions, is desperate to keep the virus’s reproduction rate – the R – below 1, to make sure patients don’t infect any more than one other person each.

Lockdown has pushed the R to somewhere between 0.7 and 0.9 but releasing the rules too soon will allow it to spiral again.

SPI-M said: ‘Relaxing rules of the use of outdoor spaces, including working outdoors, is highly unlikely to make a significant direct difference to infection rates, as long as social distancing continues to be followed in this environment.

‘There is limited evidence on the effect of closing of non-essential retail, libraries, bars, restaurants, etc., but it is likely that R would return to above 1 and a subsequent exponential growth in cases.’

They said that allowing people outdoor exercise and supermarket shopping were likely to have little effect on the R rate.

And large gatherings are also unlikely to boost an outbreak because they account for so few of people’s personal contacts because they are attended infrequently. 

But encouraging people to return to offices instead of working from home would likely have ‘the largest effect’ on the reproduction rate.

Fully reopening schools back to normal would also have a significant effect, the scientists said: ‘Lifting any of the other measures in place, including school closures are almost certain to return R to above 1’.

However, SPI-M admitted that it was difficult to assess the true impact of different lockdown measures on the speed the virus spreads.

The group added: ‘Measures have been introduced simultaneously or in quick succession, so their individual effects cannot be disentangled; self-imposed population behaviours may also complicate the picture.’

Terrorists could attack large gatherings while police short-staffed 

Terrorists could carry out an attack on British soil while police forces are distracted by a lack of crime, experts warned.

In evidence submitted to ministers on May 4, behavioural scientists claimed it was ‘an opportunity’ for the UK to be rocked by an attack.

SPI-B claimed violent extremist organisations may launch an attack ‘as a means of signalling to the public that a group or issue has not gone away’. 

The group also warned that permitting protests – currently restricted because of the Covid-19 crisis – could also be exploited by terrorists.

They said: ‘Lifting restrictions on assembly will permit protests against the economic effects of the lockdown, which will become more visible as time wears on. 

‘It is at points such as this that one could expect exploitation by violent extremist organisations and intersection with protests in other countries as a result of emulation/common purpose or trans-European activism.’ 

In a separate paper, government advisers said data showed 999 calls for the police have dropped up to 75 per cent in some areas.

Experts said the trend suggests the lockdown has led to major reductions in crime across Britain, perhaps due to a ‘lack of opportunity’. 

But they revealed there has been a spike in calls to the police for certain offences, such as domestic violence.  

Social bubbles could lead to ‘excessive networks’ and risk spread

Allowing people to meet in bubbles could have enabled coronavirus to spread through the population, scientists suggested. 

It was thought the roadmap to easing the lockdown contained the possibility one household could form a social ‘bubble’ with one other in a mutual group. 

However as people are set to start meeting up outdoors in groups of up to six from Monday, there has been no mention of bubbles. 

A woman enjoys sunbathing on Bournemouth beach in Dorset yesterday as the glorious weather continues and temperatures rise

A woman enjoys sunbathing on Bournemouth beach in Dorset yesterday as the glorious weather continues and temperatures rise

Families flock to Blackpool beach in Lancashire to enjoy the sunshine yesterday ahead of a warm weekend for most of the UK

Families flock to Blackpool beach in Lancashire to enjoy the sunshine yesterday ahead of a warm weekend for most of the UK

A boy jumps from a bridge during yesterday afternoon's scorching weather in Ilkley, West Yorkshire

A boy jumps from a bridge during yesterday afternoon’s scorching weather in Ilkley, West Yorkshire

And Downing Street has warned the public that socially-distanced, six-people meet-ups remain prohibited in England until Monday.  

Minutes from a SAGE meeting on May 7 disclosed what the experts had to say on the issue of bubbles. 

They said that while the concepts of bubbles has potential benefits for wellbeing and mental health, there were also risks if they were to be introduced alongside other changes, or if there is poor adherence. 

The minutes said: ‘The effects of bubbles are complex. Introducing bubbles alongside other changes could reconstruct excessive networks, particularly when combined with any increase in contacts in other settings.

‘These networks could enable transmission through the population. It will be difficult to assess the effects of individual policy changes on R if multiple changes are introduced together.’ 

SAGE added: ‘A safe approach to bubbles would need to include isolation of all members of a bubble in the case of one member showing symptoms. 

‘This would lead to increased frequency of isolation for people, particularly in winter months.’

Face masks are protective when people can’t social distance 

Scientists concluded there was enough evidence to recommend the use of face coverings weeks before ministers issued the advice.

Experts said on April 21 that the public should be advised to wear coverings when social distancing is not possible, but ministers in England did not issue the advice until May 11. 

The SAGE panel, including chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, discussed masks on April 21. 

A shopper wearing a protective face mask selects a bowl of tomatoes as he shops at an outdoor street market in Walthamstow, east London on May 28, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic

A shopper wearing a protective face mask selects a bowl of tomatoes as he shops at an outdoor street market in Walthamstow, east London on May 28, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic

‘SAGE advises that, on balance, there is enough evidence to support recommendation of community use of cloth face masks, for short periods in enclosed spaces, where social distancing is not possible,’ they concluded. 

Despite Scotland and Northern Ireland issuing the advice to wear coverings, ministers in England did not give the guidance until publishing the ‘plan to rebuild’ nearly three weeks later. 

‘As more people return to work, there will be more movement outside people’s immediate household,’ they said. 

‘This increased mobility means the Government is now advising that people should aim to wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible, and they come into contact with others that they do not normally meet, for example on public transport or in some shops.’ 

Only HALF of people with coronavirus symptoms self-isolate 

Only about half of people with coronavirus symptoms self-isolate for an entire week, behavioural experts told SAGE.

The discovery raised concerns over whether future outbreaks can be prevented. 

The disclosure of low compliance with a key rule in suppressing Covid-19 comes days before the lockdown is eased, with people being asked to isolate for 14 days even if they do not have symptoms. 

Under the NHS test and trace programme, people in England will be told to quarantine themselves for two weeks if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive. 

A document shows behavioural experts warning: ‘We strongly recommend monitoring and rapid research into adherence rates to all key behaviours and how to improve them, noting that based on DHSC tracker only around 50 per cent of people are currently reporting self-isolating for at least seven days when symptomatic with cough or fever.’

Their warning came on April 29 and an updated figure was not immediately available, but now people across the UK are beginning to be allowed to meet up outside, at a distance, and shops are starting to reopen.  

Masks could make people ‘falsely reassured’ and ignorant of rules 

Wearing a face mask could give someone a false sense of security that encourages them to flout other social distancing rules, SAGE was warned.

The Government declined for weeks to advise that people wear face masks, saying they were best reserved for medical workers. 

But it now encourages people to use coverings – not medical grade masks – if they are in indoor spaces where social distancing is difficult, such as in busy shops or on public transport.

A document from SPI-B presented in April said: ‘There are a number of issues, risks and potentially harmful behaviours associated with recommending or mandating use of facemasks which could reduce their effectiveness.’

It said people might use them incorrectly or touch them, contaminating their hands, or make homemade masks that are ‘ineffective.

The group also warned: ‘People may feel falsely reassured by wearing facemasks and so pay less attention to other behaviours that reduce viral transmission e.g. wash their hands less, do not adhere to social distancing measures.’

90 per cent of care homes could experience outbreaks 

Scientists said in April that ‘current trends’ suggested 90 per cent of all care homes could suffer from outbreaks of Covid-19.

The SPI-M group said in a statement on April 20: ‘There is evidence in continued growth in the number of care homes which have experienced cases of COVID-19.

‘Any estimates of the proportion of care homes which will eventually experience outbreaks is highly speculative at this stage, but a figure approaching 90 per cent cannot be ruled out if current trends are maintained.’

The statement came shortly the peak of the outbreak before a focus had really shifted on to care homes and testing was not widely available for staff or residents.

More than 11,000 people are now known to have died in care homes.  

The proportion of homes that have had outbreaks is not clear, but bosses in the sector estimated it was around two thirds in April, while the Government’s estimate was considerably lower.

 Russia ‘is watching and gathering intelligence’

SAGE was warned by SPI-B that Russia would be watching the attempts to set up a track and trace system and mobile app in a bid to find ways to gather data. 

They said: ‘From an external security perspective, Russia will scrutinise all Western responses to Covid-19 as a significant intelligence gathering opportunity. 

‘Responses to CV19 allow it to monitor different countries’ response measures, timings and effectiveness in a wartime-like scenario. 

‘In particular they will examine planning and capabilities in response to a civil contingency/peacetime threat. 

‘There will consequently be interest in how effectively the UK can mount a contact tracing campaign as well as attempts to exploit whatever deficiencies or public concerns there may be with it.’              

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