Many thanks to @NickFerrariLBC @LBC for inviting me on this morning to discuss the impact of the new variant on hospitals and the calls for closing schools and a national lockdown.

Key points I made :

1. Situation in many hospitals in London, South East and East extremely serious and worse than first peak – we have less beds than last year as we need to separate COVID patients from non-COVID patients to try to reduce hospital-acquired Infections.

2. This is now starting to impact non-COVID patients as well with elective operations being cancelled and doctors being redeployed – which will tragically lead to more pain and suffering for all our patients.

3. Patients who need to come in for other reason e.g. chest pain, weakness, other infections, etc. must not be scared off from doing so by fear of COVID – thousands died in first wave at home due to fear.

4. So we do need to get hospital admissions down but bringing in a national lockdown won’t necessarily help – admissions are still rising in Tier 4 which is similar to lockdown – so we need to focus more on persuading everyone of the importance of following existing measures.

5. Even though the new variant spreads more easily, it can still only spread through human contact - esp. with prolonged contact indoors - so the key to reducing spread is minimising social contacts, social distancing, wearing masks indoors, washing hands,, self-isolation, etc.

6. We have to remember that measures to reduce COVID - especially closing schools - have significant harms too. Getting the right balance to minimise overall harm is difficult but should be basis of decision making & schools should be the last to close and the first to re-open.

7. Coming weeks will be difficult but vaccines are now being given, and so, even though it appears dim now, there is light at the end of the tunnel. So all of us, whether in the NHS or outside, must do what we can to control spread of virus and so save lives from all causes.