Rival to coronavirus science advisors urge government to 'plan for worst-case scenario'
📸Sir Patrick Vallance, who chairs the official SAGE committee.
The newly formed “Independent SAGE” group was formed after the government repeatedly failed to publish the official advisory body’s scientific advice.
Britain must “hope for the best, but plan for the worst-case scenario” of not finding a vaccine for several years, a rival to the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has heard.
The group of top scientists, calling itself the Independent SAGE, was formed after the government repeatedly failed to publish its latest advice amid fears it has been subject to “dangerous” political interference.
The group of a dozen experts were gathered by Sir David King, a former government chief scientific adviser.
He assembled the rival boffins to look at how the UK is handling coronavirus over fears that minister’s claim to be “following the scientific advice”, but have failed to share recent the information behind those decisions with the public.
Sir David’s group, which held its meeting online, said it has been organised “in response to concerns over the lack of transparency” from SAGE after it emerged that Boris Johnson’s top aide Dominic Cummings and another Tory aide had attended a meeting in March.
It came as Downing Street published the names of the more than 50 scientists who sit on SAGE.
The list of names showed that around half of the experts come from universities and another half is made up of Government chief scientific advisers, public health officials or NHS senior staff.
One Google executive, Demis Hassabis, attended “in a personal capacity as a data scientist,” the company confirmed after people raised questions over the inclusion of a figure from a private company.
Mr Cummings is not listed as a member, despite reports he attended meetings and contributed to discussions.
Two members of the group did not give permission for their names to be published.
The minutes of the group’s meetings have not been released, and neither has the most recent advice which No 10 claims underpins their decisions.
The new Independent SAGE group warned that lifting lockdown at different times across the country could lead to anger and resentment.
Officials are considering how coronavirus restrictions could be lifted, and later this week Boris Johnson is expected to set out a road map out of the lockdown.
They also warned that Britain’s strategy could be overly reliant on finding a vaccine.
Professor Gabriel Scally, who is President of Epidemiology & Public Health Section of the Royal Society of Medicine, told the committee that we needed to prepare for a vaccine that could be “several years” away.
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Professor Scally, who advises the Irish government, added: “We can hope for the best, but we must plan for the worst-case scenario and find ways to keep going on that basis and ways to keep our economy and society operational.”
Professor Susan Michie warned that lifting certain restrictions for different sections of the economy, areas or age groups risked “undermining the collective solidarity that has been so important for trust, for adherence, for helping each other”.
She added that if specific groups such as the over-70s are asked to stay in lockdown while others are not, the message would have to be much more “nuanced”.
Professor Michie also said the Government must ensure those who are forced to self-isolate, as a result of having contact with someone infected, have financial security.
Social distancing rules could be halved.
Sir David said the new committee would investigate seven key points, including how successful testing and tracing can be achieved, and what social distancing measures will be needed in future.
He said the scientists will share their findings and workings with the public by streaming meetings on YouTube.
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