Professor Neil Ferguson resigned Tuesday from his position on the British government’s advisory panel on the COVID-19 Chinese coronavirus pandemic after he was exposed by the UK Telegraph for violating social distancing rules by entertaining his married lover at his home.
BREAKING: Govt's top science expert Professor Neil Ferguson resigns after flouting his own social distancing lockdown rules to be with married lover.
Unbelievable & shocking scoop by the Telegraph's @AVMikhailova >>>>https://t.co/Ja1m52qcSN pic.twitter.com/FEc88ztRBi— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 5, 2020
Ferguson’s model produced by the Imperial College of London predicting one to two million coronavirus deaths in the U.S. and 500,000 in Britain prompted both nations to go into lockdowns in mid-March, throwing both nations into economic turmoil. The forecast by Ferguson has been spectacularly incorrect so far.
In a twist, Ferguson came down with symptoms for the virus, subsequently testing positive, and went through a two-week self isolation period that began in March right after the model was released.
…On at least two occasions, Antonia Staats, 38, travelled across London from her home in the south of the capital to spend time with the Government scientist, nicknamed Professor Lockdown.
The 51-year-old had only just finished a two-week spell self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus.
Prof Ferguson told the Telegraph: “I accept I made an error of judgment and took the wrong course of action. I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in Sage [the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies].
“I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus, and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.
“I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The Government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us.”
The first of Ms Staat’s visits, on Monday March 30, coincided with a public warning by Prof Ferguson that the one-week-old lockdown measures would have to remain until June.
Ms Staats, a left-wing campaigner, made a second visit on April 8 despite telling friends she suspected that her husband, an academic in his 30s, had symptoms of coronavirus.
She and her husband live together with their two children in a £1.9 million home, but are understood to be in an open marriage. She has told friends about her relationship with Prof Ferguson, but does not believe their actions to be hypocritical because she considers the households to be one.
But one week before the first tryst, Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer, and Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, clarified during the daily Downing Street press conference that couples not living together must stay apart during lockdown…
End excerpt. Please read the complete Telegraph article at this link.