UK CMO Chris Whitty picks 'Game of Thrones' reference to warn about second COVID-19 wave

Amid COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty picked the famous ‘Winter is coming’ reference from the Game of Thrones series to warn that the worst might not be over. As per an international media outlet, Whitty has warned that just like other flu, the coronavirus outbreak too will have a second wave and could be more severe than the first one. 

In an online lecture for Gresham College, Whitty said that all respiratory viruses are rapidly transmitted in winters, hence making the second wave in the coming winter more severe. He added that ‘Winter is coming’ and there may be a seasonal element to the disease. However, he also said that the authorities don’t know yet, but it is plausible for the second wave to be more severe. 

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UK ‘past the peak’: Boris Johnson 

Although Whitty warned of a severe second wave, UK Prime Minister Boris Jonhson on April 30 said that the country is ‘past the peak’ of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At his first press conference since being hospitalised with the virus, Johnson stated that the UK is past the peak and is also on the downward slope. However, he also warned that it is too soon to remove lockdown measures, and said that next week he would unveil a ‘comprehensive plan’ for eventually reopening the economy, schools, and workplaces.

Currently, the UK has more than 177,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and the deadly virus has claimed nearly 27,510 lives in the country. Despite the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, Johnson expressed optimism and added that the rate at which the virus is spreading among people was below one which is the outcome of the general public’s adherence to the social distancing measures. The UK authorities also believe that the virus is almost contained and the government, in the future, could both relax and tighten measures. 

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