Once-gloomy scientist says future UK lockdowns unlikely

LONDON (AP) — A British scientist who gained prominence for issuing dire warnings about the spread of COVID-19 said Saturday the U.K. is unlikely to need future lockdowns, although new infections may rise significantly as social interactions increase.

Professor Neil Ferguson, an infectious disease expert at Imperial College London, told The Times of London that Britain is likely to move to a situation where the disease can be managed by vaccinations rather than “crisis measures” such as lockdowns.

“I wouldn’t rule it out altogether, but I think it’s unlikely we will need a new lockdown or even social-distancing measures of the type we’ve had so far,’’ he said. “The caveat to that is, of course, if the virus changes substantially.”

Data released Friday showed the latest virus surge in the U.K. has eased, with the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 falling in most parts of the country. Based on its weekly survey of infection levels, the Office for National Statistics said infection rates appeared to be falling in England, Scotland and Wales, though not in Northern Ireland, with the biggest declines in younger age groups.

Public health experts credit the U.K.’s successful nationwide vaccination program for slowing the spread of COVID-19 even in the face of the more infectious delta variant, which was first discovered in India and is now the dominant form of the disease in Britain. With almost 74% of adults now fully vaccinated, the government plans to expand the program to teenagers.

The government reported 31,808 new infections across the U.K. on Friday, down 42% from the peak of the third wave in mid-July.

But many scientists warn that infection levels are still too high for complacency and that the reported figures may be inaccurate due to a drop in...