A SCIENTIFIC advisor to the government said there has never been a Covid-19 outbreak linked to a crowded beach.

Last year thousands of people flocked to beaches in Essex during a heatwave when the lockdown restrictions eased.

Images of crowded beaches in Southend, Clacton and Frinton drew outrage and sparked fears about the spread of the virus.

Police and councils urged people to stay away from some popular spots.

But scientists say there has never been a Covid-19 outbreak linked to a beach.

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Professor Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, told the Science and Technology Committee: “Over the summer we were treated to all this on the television news and pictures of crowded beaches and there was an outcry about this.

“There were no outbreaks linked to crowded beaches. There’s never been a Covid-19 outbreak linked to a beach ever anywhere in the world to the best of my knowledge.”

People enjoy the hot weather at Southend beach in Essex..

People enjoy the hot weather at Southend beach in Essex..

In September Southend's director of public health has confirmed that despite fears of large crowds on Southend's beaches during the summer heatwave, no coronavirus outbreaks have been attributed to it.

Krishna Ramkhelawon, said despite the crowds, national data shows “there has been no outbreaks associated with a Southend beach”.

Prof Woolhouse, who is a member of the SPI-M modelling subgroup of the scientific advisory group Sage, told MPs that mass gatherings – such as a horse racing event – are an exception because they do not involve social distancing and there are “pinch points” like travel and refreshment facilities.

People enjoying the good weather on the beach at Southend-on-Sea in Essex, as the public are being reminded to practice social distancing following the relaxation of lockdown restrictions in England..

People enjoying the good weather on the beach at Southend-on-Sea in Essex, as the public are being reminded to practice social distancing following the relaxation of lockdown restrictions in England..

“I think we do have to understand where the risks are so that we can do as much as possible safely,” he added.

Prof Woolhouse said the Government was slow to reopen schools and outdoor activities in the first lockdown.

“I think we probably could have considered reopening schools much sooner in the first lockdown,” he said.

“The other thing, quite clearly, is outdoor activities. Again, there was evidence going back to March and April that the virus is not transmitted well outdoors.

“There’s been very, very little evidence that any transmission outdoors is happening in the UK.

“Those two things, I think, could have been relaxed sooner in the first lockdown.”