Coronavirus: Top scientists warn young people to stop socialising in pubs

Warning to young people across the UK comes as chief medical officer says it is now unlikely the Covid-19 virus will ever go away

Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance at a briefing today in London (REUTERS)

Young people across Britain have been told to stop mixing in pubs and bars by the government’s top science adviser as the country was warned it was likely the coronavirus will never go away.

At a briefing for health journalists in central London today Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser urged youngsters to stop socialising.

Sir Patrick said it was important young people followed the advice on social distancing.

"The mixing in pubs and restaurants needs to stop and it needs to stop among young people as well as older,'' he said.

His warning came amid concern young people were dismissive of the disease believing wrongly that it only affected elderly people.

Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty added it was now likely the coronavirus was here to stay.

He said: “It is our judgement, and it is my judgement certainly, if you look around the world, the idea that we're going to put this virus back to going away and completely whilst not theoretically impossible, seems so improbable that based on scientific theory that is something we are trying to do. Seems to me a mistake.”

He said: “However much we would like there to be a vaccine riding to the rescue in six months time. Currently, we think that's improbable. So now we've got to work on a different theoretical framework for actually managing this epidemic.”

Professor Whitty said normal public health responses to a disease, like those used to isolate ebola in West Africa were no longer likely to be effective against what was now a global pandemic virus.

He said those tools such as containing and isolating infected people might work for some countries but the stage of the epidemic in the UK had gone beyond that position.

He added that even if the UK could reduce infections it was almost inevitable the virus would return as it was a truly global infection.

Sir Patrick Vallance’s warning comes amid concern many people in London and elsewhere were still visiting pubs, restaurants and socialising with friend.

There were rumours today that London could face significantly tougher measures but Downing Street today said there was "zero prospect" of a ban on travelling in and out of the capital.