ONE OF the borough’s MPs has asked the health secretary what evidence he has used to drop covid restrictions on Monday.
James Sunderland, whose Bracknell constituency includes Crowthorne, Wokingham Without and Finchampstead, spoke at the House of Commons on Tuesday.
He questioned Sajid Javid over the decision to proceed with step four of the plan to unlock the country next week.
Mr Javid said the Government has committed to taking a “cautious approach” to easing restrictions.
He said it had been “guided by data and not by dates”.
The health secretary added: “The decision to lift the remaining measures on July 19 and proceed to step four is based on an assessment of the four tests that were set out in the road map.”
These four tests are the continuation of a successful vaccination programme, along with evidence that vaccines are effective at reducing hospitalisations and deaths.
Test three is that infection rates do not surge, resulting in more people in hospital, and test four is that the scientific assessment of the risk has not changed by a discovery of a new variant of Covid-19.
Despite the rising infection rate nationally, due to the Delta variant, Mr Javid is satisfied the four tests have been met.
The same day, Mr Sunderland called on the health secretary to “embrace a bit more risk and open up the international travel sector”.
He said many residents are employed in the sector.
Mr Javid said more work is being done between the Department of Health and the Department for Transport on international travel.
“The recent announcements made by the Transport Secretary will certainly help and be welcomed by the travel sector and travellers,” he added.
