The decision by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to end lockdown rules is based on the wrong tests, according to the London Medical Laboratory, and it warns of the need to measure antibody levels, not just the number of jabs given, before ending Covid-19 restrictions.

Following Boris Johnson’s announcement confirming the end of compulsory Covid-19 restrictions on 19 July, the London Medical Laboratory (LML) warns that the changes will increase the spread of coronavirus. It claims that, far from removing the shackles on society, the measures could result in the return of restrictions and even new lockdowns, because the decision is based on the wrong measurements.

The Government’s end to legal Covid-19 regulations on mask-wearing in stores and on public transport, together with the reopening of nightclubs, is misguided, the LML says. Its warning is based on data such as the number of people who have been vaccinated, rather than the level of antibodies they have developed.

LML’s Chief Scientific Officer Dr Quinton Fivelman, PhD, who has authored the White Paper ‘Has your vaccine worked? Are you immune to Covid-19?’ says that the plans for a return to normality could lead to the return of stiffer measures and even new lockdowns.

“We need a clearer idea of the actual level of antibodies individuals have before rolling back the final Covid-19 restrictions. How can crucial decisions such as ending legal restrictions on mask-wearing be made without this vital information?

“There is also growing anecdotal evidence that people who have previously caught Covid don’t believe they need to be vaccinated. London Medical Laboratory’s White Paper reveals that most people have a far higher antibody response to a vaccine against Covid-19 than from a natural infection. The Government needs to send out a clear message that people who have previously had Covid must now get their vaccinations.”