Covid-19 crisis: England easing lockdown too soon, advisers warn

England risks losing control of the coronavirus pandemic again because it is starting to lift its lockdown without a fully operational track and trace programme in place, three senior scientific advisers warned on Saturday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said England’s lockdown measures will be eased cautiously from Monday, aided by a track and trace system that launched on Thursday.

The advisers warned, however, that the system was not yet in full operation and risked being overwhelmed by the around 8,000 new infections that are still occurring every day outside of hospitals and care homes.

John Edmunds, from the London