PM’s statement comment: Freedom Day could return us all to house arrest because it’s based on the wrong data, says London Medical Laboratory:
The London Medical Laboratory says the PM’s decision to end lockdown rules is based on the wrong tests. It warns we must measure antibody levels, not just the number of jabs given, before ending Covid-19 restrictions. Events such as school proms could act as coronavirus super spreaders after 19 July, while businesses should not just rely on the new certification plan.
Following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement confirming the end of compulsory Covid-19 restrictions next Monday, the coronavirus antibody testing expert London Medical Laboratory (LML) is warning the changes will increase the spread of coronavirus. It warns that, far from removing the shackles on society, the measures could result in the return of restrictions and even new lockdowns, because the decision is based on the wrong measurements.
The Government’s planned end to legal Covid-19 regulations on mask-wearing in stores and on public transport, together with the reopening of nightclubs, is misguided, warns LML. This is because it’s based on data such as the number of people who have been vaccinated, rather than the level of antibodies they have developed.
Dr. Quinton Fivelman, PhD, the Chief Scientific Officer at London Medical Laboratory, has just authored the White Paper ‘Has your vaccine worked? Are you immune to Covid-19?’. He warns, ‘The Prime Minister’s announcement today was notably more cautious in tone than previous statements but, nonetheless, the plans for a return to normality could lead to exactly the opposite – the return of stiffer measures and even new lockdowns.
‘The ending of legal requirements on mask-wearing and social distancing, replaced with the hope people will exercise personal judgement, cannot work if Brits do not have the full facts.’
Says Dr. Fivelman: ‘ The PM also revealed a plan for businesses to introduce certification in high risk settings. That should not just mean checking Covid passports, but requiring accurate antibody level tests. Not everyone who has been vaccinated goes on to develop antibodies. We need a clearer idea of the actual level of antibodies individuals have before rolling back the final Covid-19 restrictions. Without a quantitative measure of their responses to first and second jabs, the Government is groping in the dark. How can crucial decisions such as ending legal restrictions on mask-wearing be made without this vital information?
‘There is also growing anecdotal evidence that people who have previously caught Covid don’t believe they need to be vaccinated. London Medical Laboratory’s White Paper reveals that most people have a far higher antibody response to a vaccine against Covid-19 than from a natural infection. The Government needs to send out a clear message that people who have previously had Covid must get their vaccinations. Otherwise, plans for 19 July should still be postponed.’
Dr. Fivelman cautions: ‘Boris also confirmed that nightclubs will reopen. We know from the latest ONS data that considerable numbers of 16–24-year-olds are now catching the virus prior to vaccination. Combined with reduced vaccine uptake among young adults, we must wonder about measures such as reopening clubs. This age group is most likely to visit clubs, which are generally poorly ventilated areas where people are packed in tightly. Anyone over the age of 18 became eligible for their first jab just over three weeks ago. Our White Paper clearly shows that those people who have only received one jab have produced significantly fewer antibodies than those who are double-vaccinated.
‘Many schools have also delayed final confirmation of their Leavers proms celebrations until today’s announcement, adding an extra element of risk for the many 18-year-olds have not even had their first jab.’
Dr. Fivelman says highly accurate antibody level tests are available for people to take at home. These provide reassurance that the vaccines have done their job – and could give the Government a better picture of antibody levels in the community.
Explains Dr. Fivelman: ‘New “second generation” tests have now been introduced that use a finger-prick blood sample that people can take at home and then return to the lab using a supplied envelope. The new tests confirm whether an individual’s immune system has developed IgG antibodies. By providing a quantitative measure of the body’s response, they reveal how the immune system has responded to vaccination.’
Dr. Fivelman has a final warning for the Government following the Prime Minister’s announcement. ‘This virus has not been around long enough for scientists to be sure whether having IgG antibodies makes you immune – even at high antibody levels. Research into this is ongoing, so do not presume you are completely immune, even with a positive antibody result. The Government has not yet got all the facts it needs before rushing into lifting legal Covid-19 restrictions.’
For the latest information about the level of protection vaccinations offer against Covid-19, see London Medical Laboratory’s new White Paper at: https://www.privatecoronavirustests.com/page/vaccine-immunity
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