The scientific advisers usually at Boris Johnson 's side for major announcements have not been seen since his bombshell news of all Covid curbs being axed.
It was unclear tonight whether Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty or Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance were even consulted on Wednesday’s announcement – which came before PMQs in the Commons instead of at a press conference.
The Department of Health refused to confirm whether their advice was sought on ending restrictions.
A No10 spokesman would only say they continue to provide advice to the Prime Minister and Health Secretary.
And as curbs including the requirement to self-isolate if infected look set to end a month early, on February 24, other Government scientists said the news had blindsided them.
Prof John Edmunds, a member of Independent SAGE, said: “We haven’t discussed it there.”
He added of the PM: “Of course he gets scientific advice from elsewhere as well – the UKHSA [UK Health Security Agency] and others – so he may have had other scientific advice but not that I’m aware of.”
He added: “Of course there are dangers. There are dangers when you lift any restriction. This restriction is the last one and quite rightly so. It targets those who are actually infectious and asks them to stay at home.”
Another scientist questioned Mr Johnson’s motives for making England the first country to end all pandemic curbs despite sky-high infection rates.
Prof Tim Spector, the epidemiologist running King's College London’s Zoe Covid study, said: “This is more a political type of statement rather than a scientific one.
"There is some rationale to this and other countries are doing things similar, but it’s clearly a race for the Government to say that Britain is first.”
Dr Stephen Griffin of Leeds University said: “Literally blinding ourselves by removing testing and isolation robs us of the most fundamental means of controlling the spread.”
After 206 Covid deaths and 66,638 positive tests reported in the UK today, the British Medical Association called on the Government to justify ending self-isolation rules. The BMA’s Dr Penelope Toff said: “The suggestion that self-isolation may be removed this month runs contrary to good public health practice.
“The Government needs to show the evidence behind its proposals. There are still more than 13,000 patients with Covid in UK hospitals.”
New data from the Zoe Covid study this week suggested cases may still be rising, with an R value of 1.1 for the UK. The study estimates there were 203,973 new daily symptomatic cases at the start of this week, up from 195,068 last week, though Prof Spector said hospital admissions and deaths were down.
People with conditions that mean Covid vaccines may not work for them voiced alarm at the plan to end isolation rules.
Grandad Paul Simpson, 64, from Rochester, Kent, was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma brain cancer last year. He said: “They seem to be prepared, in order to hold the Tory party together or to gain popularity in the nation, to throw quite a lot of people under the bus.”
Hannah Burden, 36, spent 10 days in intensive care with Covid before Christmas.
The student, from Leicestershire, told The Mirror: “By the end of the month you could be in the supermarket with people who know they have Covid.”
Blood Cancer UK estimates more than 230,000 people with the condition will be at an increased risk.
Of plans to protect the vulnerable, the Department of Health said details would “follow in due course”.
The plan to end curbs on February 24 will be reviewed three days before.
