THE PRIME Minister is being warned that dropping restrictions for so-called ‘Freedom Day’ will expose more to the ‘devastating impact’ of long Covid.

On Monday, the Prime Minister announced that should step four of unlocking the country proceed in two weeks’ time almost all Covid regulations, including wearing face masks, social distancing rules, and capacity limits on large events, would be removed.

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The All-Party Parliamentary Group on coronavirus has warned the Government that these plans to lift almost all remaining restrictions, including rules on social distancing and mask-wearing will leave many more people will be at risk of long Covid.

It comes after the latest ONS figures revealed an estimated 962,000 people in the UK have long Covid, of which 385,000 have had the condition for one year or more.

"92 per cent of those with long Covid were not hospitalised when they first caught coronavirus, and 242,000 were under the age of 34.

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Layla Moran, Chair of the APPG on Coronavirus, said: “The government's rush to drop remaining measures risks exposing many more people to the devastating impact of long Covid, including younger age groups who aren’t yet fully vaccinated.

"This condition leaves many unable to work or carry out their regular daily activities, with severe consequences for our NHS and economy.

“Now is not the time to throw in the towel in the fight against coronavirus.

"A balanced and evidence-based approach is needed which protects the unvaccinated and vulnerable while keeping any new variants under control.”