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The race is on between the Covid-19 vaccine and a third wave of the virus driven by the Delta variant, government science advisers have said.
Cases of the Delta variant rose 79% in one week, Public Health England said, and hospital cases nearly doubled, although most of those who need treatment have not received a vaccine.
The increase in cases across the UK is due to younger age groups, many of whom have now been urged to get the vaccine as the vaccine rollout expands to anyone aged 18 and over .
Professor Adam Finn, who advises the government on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), said a “third wave” of coronavirus infections “is definitely underway,” but there is instead of being cautious with an optimism.
“We can conclude that the race is firmly on between the vaccination program, especially the second dose of the elderly, and the third wave of the Delta variant,” BBC Radio 4 said. Today program.
Professor Finn said the JCVI is still working to decide whether children should be vaccinated, but said the effort would not be the immediate priority if approved.
“Even if a decision were made to vaccinate children, it would not be appropriate at this time, here or elsewhere in Europe, to give our doses mainly to children because it is adults who get sick, so vaccinating adults is clearly the way to go. priority right now. ,” he said.
Professor Finn was asked if he was convinced that we were going to overtake the Delta variant with the current vaccination rate, and he told Times Radio: “No, I’m not confident, but I think there is. reasons to be optimistic.
“The latest ONS figures continue to show an increase, but the increase has not accelerated as much as I feared last week.
“So the race is on. The sooner we can administer, especially second doses, to the elderly, the fewer hospitalizations we will see this time around.
“This is the critical thing, this is what anchored us all in the past, and if we were able to protect enough seniors to avoid a big wave of hospitalizations and deaths, then things can go back to normal. the normal. “
Dr Mike Tildesley, epidemiologist and member of the SPI-M modeling group, also said he “cautiously” hopes that the number of hospital admissions for Covid-19 over the next few weeks will not be up to date. same scale as in January. .
He said those who are in hospital right now tend to be slightly younger, “a little less sick” and more likely to recover.
“I realize I’m a little careful here,” he said. BBC breakfast.
“All of these are cautiously good signs, but of course we need to keep an eye on that over the next two weeks so that we can give as much information as possible to the government before the July 19 reopens. “
Meanwhile, giant jab clinics opened in London over the weekend.
The Olympic Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur FC, Chelsea FC and Charlton Athletic FC are among those hosting large-scale pop-up clinics for residents, while smaller events are scheduled at local community venues.
It comes as officials are reportedly considering removing the 10-day self-isolation for people who have been doubly vaccinated and come into contact with someone infected with Covid-19.
Time reported that Health Secretary Matt Hancock is reportedly keen to replace quarantine with daily testing, but the policy will not be approved until after Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, is satisfied the results of a study of 40,000 people.
Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, told Times Radio that this is already happening in the United States.
“The Center for Disease Control changed its guidelines some time ago to say that people who had received both doses of the vaccine and about 10 to 14 days after the second dose did not have to self-isolate, so I think we are moving forward. this direction, ”she said.
Additional reporting by the Press Association
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