Barely after two or three days since the announcement by the United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson to lift covid-19 restrictions, a retaliation is already coming from government officials and certain politicians. This quick reaction shows how intense the coronavirus pandemic outbreak is and the devastating effects it has caused in the world. His address sparked a wave of controversial comments and opinions by people worldwide, especially amid the surging cases and death rates. The Prime Minister was very determined to implement his new strategies of curbing the effects of covid-19. However, it seems like not everyone shares the same sentiments.
The PM is expected to appear before the Liaison Committee, which is supposed to help validate his coronavirus pandemic strategies. The committee is made up of members of parliament who chair departmental select committees. These specific parliamentarians are senior members who are tasked to reveal whether the proposed plans by the PM can work and help in controlling the effects of the pandemic. The committee will pour a shower of questions to the PM, and he has to justify his standpoint [Source]. The Committee members will ask a series of questions related to the covid-19, the backlog with cancer treatment, Matt Hancock’s exit from the government in a humiliating manner, Dominic Cumming’s allegations on how the PM is handling the pandemic’s reign in the UK.
One of the issues to be addressed at the Liaison Committee, especially by the Tory MPs, has to do with how the health secretary mandated people to follow self-isolation rules that are currently in place. These rules entail how one has to stay indoors for 10 days if they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. The health secretary Sajid Javid, in a recorder address, noted that infections might rise to a plus 100 000 cases per day by August, and this translates to millions of infections in the UK [Source]. But some people were not pleased with this suggestion by the secretary as a delay in lifting the restriction means that Freedom Day celebrations are cocooned and will not befit the overall plan of removing the restrictions by 19 July.
Another intense issue was aired out by several institutions officials who are experiencing staff shortages at the workplace. With businesses open, there is a need for employees to come to work. Still, mandatory self-isolation is affecting the operating of businesses as a lot of personnel is in self-isolation. Some have to isolate because they have not been fully vaccinated, and it is not their fault but due to the slow progress at healthcare facilities. The health secretary told people that only those fully vaccinated could enjoy removing self-isolation rules put in place by the PM in the UK and voluntarily wear face masks, especially in England [Source]. Employers are worried that their employees will be forced to stay inside while businesses fail.
Tory MPs such as Caroline Nokes, Tom Tugendhat, Robert Halfon, and Greg Clark are expected to jab the PM with hot questions. The main issue that these individuals will circle on has to do with the PM’s policies on tackling the coronavirus pandemic and these policies’ effects on the impact of the virus on the UK’s population. They are also expected to question him on his lockdown strategy about its impact on the economy and how it has enhanced the ability of healthcare officials to control the cases recorded.
Boris’s relaxation of covid-19 restrictions comes when the world is battling the Delta variant of covid-19, and various people are worried about the workability of these unusual strategies. Also, it has been reported that another variant termed the ‘Lambda Variant,’ which is being transmitted around in flash movement, has emerged. Thus Prime Minister Boris Johnson has to gather all his courage when he appears on the committee facing MPs.
