GMB viewers were divided today as Dr Hilary Jones addressed mask-wearing as coronavirus infections continue to rise in the UK.
Dr Hilary warned the global pandemic is still ongoing and current rates of infection could increase.
He also indicated people who are vaccinated may not be free from the spread as “immunity is waning”.
GMB today
Dr Hilary said: “We’ve got a quarter of a million people becoming infected every day. That’s a lot of cases.
“That does translate into increased hospitalisations, particularly in the very elderly.”
He continued: “We’re seeing a milder form of COVID, largely due to variants BA4 and BA5.
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“They seem to be able to escape the immune system more readily than previous variants.”
Dr Hilary went on: “Previous vaccinations may not protect people and that immunity is waning anyway.
“We’ve got a respiratory virus, very similar to the virus that we’ve had in the last two and a half years. We’re still in a pandemic.”
Dr Hilary on masks
Dr Hilary also suggested people should consider wearing face masks in public spaces.
He said: “I don’t think we need mandatory precautions such as mask-wearing and other lockdowns.
It is sensible to give people the advice to wear a mask.
“I think what we do want is hand sanitisation to be routine. And it is sensible to give people the advice to wear a mask.”
Dr Hilary also pinpointed unventilated closed spaces, such as train carriages, where mask-wearing would be a good idea.
He said: “To me, in any viral respiratory situation, that seems sensible.”
Last week there was a 30% increase in Covid cases, 2.3 million people in Britain now have the virus.@DrHilaryJones says ‘we are going to have to live with this virus’ and it’s ‘sensible’ to advise people to wash their hands and wear masks in busy public places. pic.twitter.com/LdP8ujReKb
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) July 4, 2022
Good Morning Britain today
GMB viewers had mixed reactions to being advised to wear masks to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
One supporter wrote on Twitter: “I have had five COVID jabs, being on the medically vulnerable list. I currently have COVID, despite living a sensible life. It is very much still around us.”
Someone else added they still wear a mask in public, despite the Government rolling back requirements: “Still washing my hands thoroughly and wearing mask in crowds.”
And another person added: “I still wear my masks. I do think masks should be made compulsory in shops etc. Shops that have signs outside asking people to wear them are ignored.”
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However, others felt masks won’t return to life in the UK.
“I suspect the majority won’t wear them again. Even when compulsory people couldn’t be challenged if they chose not to wear them,” one person tweeted.
Another respondent insisted: “No more masks and no more lockdowns.”
And another tweeted: “How can they bring back masks when the rule is you don’t have to isolate anymore? And testing no longer available.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV from 6am.
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