- Speaking to Times Radio, Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, warned that restrictions on large gatherings could be in place for ‘the next few years’.
As runners await the safe return of mass-participation races, a Covid-19 expert has sounded a note of caution about large gatherings. Speaking to Times Radio, Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, warned that it might be a few years until things feel more ‘normal’.
Spector said he ‘can’t see us suddenly having another Cheltenham Festival with no regulations again.
‘I can't see us having massive weddings with people coming from all over the world; I think for the next few years those days are gone,’ he said.
He said that he saw physical distancing, handwashing and face masks remaining in place for the foreseeable future, in a bid to control infections. ‘I think we need to get used to that and that will allow us to do the things we really want to do more easily and more readily,’ he said.
Today, runners will find out if they have a place in this year's Virgin Money London Marathon. The race, set to take on October 3, is planned to be the biggest mass-participation race ever staged, with 50,000 runners on the start line and another 50,000 taking part in a virtual event. Event director Hugh Brasher told Runner's World, ‘We have lots of contingency plans, we always have lots of contingency plans, but we’re very hopeful. We’re very optimistic. The UK government have said that the whole of the UK population should be vaccinated by September.’
A few weeks ago, London Marathon ballot results announced today, England's Chief Medical Officer, said the risk of transmitting coronavirus when running is ‘extremely low’.
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