Some measures are needed to tackle the spread of the omicron strain of the coronavirus, according to a Brighton University expert.
Virologist Sarah Pitt also said that it did not make sense for UK nations to have different covid restrictions.
Dr Pitt told LBC Radio that the “seriously infectious virus” was “putting some people very seriously in hospital – and some people are dying”.
The microbiology lecturer said: “I know personally more people who’ve been off sick with covid in the last month than the whole of the pandemic put together.
“So although there is a balance between the economy and health, they’re not mutually exclusive – it’s not one or the other.
“We’ve actually got to take the virus seriously – and I’m not talking about full lockdowns.
“I’m just talking about a few measures for some things to just try to stop the spread of this really horrible, nasty virus, just at this moment.”
She also spoke about the different rules in the different nations of the UK, saying: “If people can’t go to a New Year’s Eve party in Wales or Scotland, they’ll just tip over the borders into England, won’t they, thus potentially taking the virus and spreading it … and then taking it back home.
“So it makes sense to have one set of measures across the whole country and I think it does make sense to have some measures to try to stop the spread of the virus at this point.”
So the microbiologist is calling to scrap devolution.
Quite a few might agree with her.