Heymann noted that, for all the debate about changes of government strategy and delays in implementing serious measures, Britain has not yet seen its healthcare facilities overwhelmed.
“We have been able to deal with the cases so far, there is an alliance with the private sector making additional beds and ventilators available if they need them,” he said. “And the government has been notifying those at highest risk.
“I think they have been doing what is necessary in the UK, as are many other countries. They may have used a different mixture in the UK, but no one can say at this point what is right or wrong. In two to three weeks when they do their risk assessments, they will be looking to see if they’ve accomplished the goal of what they set out to do,” said Heymann.
Who is Heymann?
Born in America but now based in London, Heymann was known for a long time as a “disease cowboy”, saddling up for action at every sign of ebola, smallpox, monkeypox, measles, tuberculosis and now Covid-19. He lived for 13 years in Africa before moving to Geneva with the WHO. He later became professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and served for five years as chairman of Public Health England.
“one of the world’s foremost experts on infectious disease”
An expert, in other words.