Daily Times

Partial normalcy may have returned to Britain since April& May with limited indoor activities but the situation is far from over when it comes toprospective plans for lifting most pandemic-related restrictions.

While British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was keen for setting 21 June as ‘freedom day’ some four months ago, the ground reality is that the Delta variant (commonly known as the Indian variant) is still wrecking havoc with British lives given its transmissible rate being 60% higher than the UK variant.

It isn’t surprising that the Delta variant accounts for nine in ten cases across Britain but the delayed decision to place India on the red list is what caused such a monumental crisis in the first place. Ironically, PM Johnson recently claimed that the decision to place Pakistan on the red list earlier was based on ‘data which showed there were 13 times as many variants of interest at the time’. But is it really true given the average number of cases and death toll being far lower than some other countries on the amber list?

While it’s true that a number of British-Pakistanis flouted travel rules for recreational and othernon-essential reasons during that period, the fact remains that placing Pakistan on the red list was unnecessary since data did not backup.

Each country has its own pandemic fighting strategy and Pakistan’s is one of the best in the world despite being a developing country. Maybe it’s time to remove it from the red list for the greater good of the British-Pakistani society.

British government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) suggests that COVID-19 infections could increase but is unsure whether they would result in further hospitalisations. This itself will likely result in ‘Freedom Day’ being postponed by at least four weeks for providing some breathing space.

The key factor remains the UK’s vaccination drive which is one of the fastest in the world. This is a positive development but cautious approach is crucial for preventing another lockdown that could prove detrimental for recovering businesses.

Additionally, there needs to be a review of the red/green/amber lists based on scientific data rather than politics to ensure that holidaymakers, returning citizens/residents and general visitors are not effected drastically. *