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Have your say: Is the 10pm curfew 'doing more harm than good'?

Have your say: Is the 10pm curfew 'doing more harm than good'?

The government’s 10pm coronavirus curfew on pubs, bars and restaurants has come under fire from scientists and politicians.

A number of health experts say the earlier closing time, designed to halt the spread of COVID-19 in England, is “doing more harm than good”.

Footage captured in recent days has shown revellers pouring into city centre streets, queuing outside off-licences and crowding into stations at 10pm after being ejected from pubs.

Downing Street has defended the curfew, but some scientists said the problems could have been foreseen.

On Monday, Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said: “The scenes across the country are quite unsurprising.

“The virus doesn’t care what time it is. Transmission will occur from infected people if they are close enough to others to spread droplets, at 10pm, 10am or any time in between.”

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has called for an urgent review of the 10pm curfew, saying it created an incentive for people to gather in homes.

“My gut feeling is that this curfew is doing more harm than good,” he said.

Read more: Bars for MPs must shut at 10pm after backlash over exemption