By Ben Kerrigan-
Prof Chris Whitty has predicted be further deaths and hospitalisations in cases where the vaccine does not work.
Whitty’s comments came as he warned against easing lockdown too quickly, insisting that it could be dangerous and risk lives among the many vulnerable people not yet protected by the vaccine.
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Vaccination won’t guarantee complete protection, because it will fail in many cases, Whitty indicated. The success rate of its protection is believed to be quite high, but will require experiments to establish the failure rate of the vaccine in providing the expected protection.
Whitty told MPs on the science and technology committee that another rise in cases was inevitable at some point.
He was adding to comments by Sir Patrick Vallance to a group of MPs the five-week gap between each step of easing restrictions was needed to evaluate the impact on infections and transmission.
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Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, who said “big blocks of risk are being taken” every time measures are relaxed.
“A lot of people may think this is all over. It is very easy to forget how quickly things can turn bad.”
Prof Whitty added: “All the modelling suggests there is going to be a further surge, and that will find the people who either have not been vaccinated, or where the vaccine has not worked, and some of them will end up in hospital and sadly, some of them will go on to die.”
Only time can tell the number of people who fall under the wide bracket of ”some”.
Whitty’s comments come amid pressure from backbench Tory MPs to relax restrictions more quickly, given how far infection rates have fallen.
His comments echoes similar comments made by prime minister Boris Johnson that many deaths are likely to be inevitable even once lockdown is completely eased, but that mass vaccination and slow easing will minimise the number of deaths.
As from March 29 six people or two families will be allowed to meet outside and outdoor sport facilities will be open, and organised sport will be allowed. On April 12, none essential retail and personal care will open, as well a indoor gyms and swimming pools.
Scientists say it takes an estimated three weeks for immunity to build up following the first dose of the vaccine, which means only the first four priority groups – the over 70s, health and care staff and the extremely clinical vulnerable – will have developed protection.
While most Covid deaths have been in these groups, nearly half of hospital admissions have been seen in the under 70s.
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