Dr Hilary ‘worried’ about mass gatherings as festivals set to go ahead this year amid pandemic

Dr Hilary warned that festivals returning and the reopening of nightclubs amid the coronavirus pandemic could set the country back as people look ahead to the end of lockdown.

Reading and Leeds Festival recently announced it will be taking place this August with Camp Bestival also going ahead this year.

Speaking on Thursday’s episode of the programme he described nightclubs as ‘a breeding ground’ for coronavirus.

He told hosts Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard: ‘I really worry about mass gatherings.

‘Festivals and certainly nightclubs, if you wanted to design a place to transmit a virus like coronavirus a nightclub would be it. People shouting, and screaming and music playing, everybody close together, alcohol swilling around.

‘I mean, we all remember what great fun nightclubs are, and people want them to open but it’s a breeding ground for viruses.’

Susanna interjected: ‘If we’re vaccinated, that’s the key isn’t it?’

Dr Hilary replied: ‘No it isn’t. It is important, but vaccination is not 100%. It doesn’t give 100% protection and if we’ve got new variants emerging that are resistant to vaccination, we’ve still got a problem.

‘We’ve still got 10,000 people every day testing positive right now. 10,000. It’s a large number of people that are capable of transmitting the virus to others who may have had the vaccine but haven’t got 100% protection. So we can’t be too complacent.’

His comments came after Camp Bestival co-founder Rob Da Bank told Good Morning Britain that the event will take place in July.

He said in a statement: ‘There is literally nothing [co-founder] Josie and I like more in life than standing in a field surrounded by family and friends, dressed in daft outfits dancing to amazing bands and DJs…and Mr Tumble…and that’s exactly what we plan to be doing at Camp Bestival in 154 days, 15 hours and 27 minutes…not that we’re counting.’

As of Wednesday, more than 18 million people across the UK had been given their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.

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