Pro-lockdown scientists and medics have been criticised for seeking to rebrand Covid restrictions as ‘protections’ to make them more palatable to the public.

Members of Independent Sage, who have consistently called for tougher measures since the summer, have changed their language in recent months to draw a line between rules such as mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing compared with more extreme curtailments of freedom.

On Boxing Day, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland introduced various new curbs including rule of six, indoor capacity limits and physical distancing.

But commenting on the changes Dr Zubaida Haque, of Independent Sage said: “Emergency Covid public health measures are not restrictions, they’re protections.”

Dr Julia Patterson, of EveryDoctorUK also told Sky News on Monday that restrictions needed to be ‘framed differently’ so that people think about them as public health measures.

“We need to stop calling public health measures ‘restrictions’. They’re there to protect the vulnerable people in our society, who matter just as much as anyone else,” she said. 

“I know everybody’s wanted to take a Christmas break and it’s understandable that people are reluctant to think about these, as they are called, called restrictions. 

“But I think we need to frame them differently and think about them as public health measures which are going to protect people.”

However, her comments sparked a social media backlash, with critics describing the change of language as ‘disingenuous, desperate and clutching at straws’ and said the public would be irritated with the attempt to minimise the disruption.

Others branded the switch as ‘gaslighting’ ‘dishonest’ and ‘pure newspeak’ while some claimed the move as ‘silly at best, and sinister at worst.’ 

Some social media users pointed out that Dr Patterson’s company EveryDoctorUK sells facemasks for £12.50.