Experts warn the UK must watch the ball through vaccinations or Covid could come back again

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An expert said the UK should not turn a blind eye to Covid-19 vaccinations, warning that the virus could come back “again”.

Dr Chris Smith, a virology consultant and lecturer at the University of Cambridge, said the decision on the booster cakes should not be “hasty or hasty” and that the government is considering a more “strategic” approach.

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The UK vaccination campaign has seen around 3/4 of adults receive two dosesCredit: AFP

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Dr Chris Smith (pictured), a consultant virologist and lecturer at the University of Cambridge, said the decision on booster cakes should not be a ‘rash’.

It comes as Health Minister Sajid Javid said he was “confident” that a booster vaccine campaign could start next month despite reports that experts wanted more time to consider whether it was needed.

Speaking on the BBC’s Breakfast programme, Dr Smith said: “We all agree that (the epidemic) is not over until it is over in every corner of the world, otherwise it will come back again.

“Don’t forget that we think this started with a few cases in one city, in one corner of one country…and then it overwhelmed the entire world.

“But one shouldn’t raise one’s eye here because it would be very easy to unpack all the good work we’ve done so far if it turns out over time that we’re losing immunity because vaccines are dwindling in their efficacy.

“With winter coming, it’s now a critical period and I think that’s why we haven’t seen a hasty, hasty decision by the JCVI (Joint Committee on Immunization and Immunization) and the government.”

To date, the UK vaccination program has had around three quarters of adults fully vaccinated with two doses.

The NHS plans to enable the rollout of third doses from September 6, along with flu vaccines, but unlike other countries such as Israel, no formal decision has been made about the boosted programme.

It comes as research has found that more than three-quarters of adults in every age group say they would be most likely or very likely to get a booster dose if they were offered one.

Overall, 87 percent of adults surveyed by the Office for National Statistics said they were likely or very likely to get a third stroke of the coronavirus.

The likelihood increased with age, with 96 percent of those aged 70 and over indicating their interest, and it dropped to 78 percent from 16 to 29 years old.

Dr Smith said that while interventions in certain demographics may be more “strategic,” a decision on launching a booster campaign must be made soon.

We all agree that (the epidemic) is not over until it is over in every corner of the world, or else it will come back again

Dr. Chris Smith, Consultant Virologist

“As other countries embark on reinforcement programmes, people are doing an assessment, looking at the data and possibly making a decision on how to strategically intervene in certain groups,” he said.

“They will have to make a decision soon because winter will soon be upon us and it will take time to implement the program and it will take time for the vaccines to actually have an effect on these people.”

The controversy over the boosters comes as England’s chief medical officer has drawn attention to the “glaring” fact that the majority of current coronavirus patients have not been vaccinated.

Professor Chris Whitty said he spent four weeks working on the Covid ward and that many patients “regret the delay” in their strokes.

Prof Whitty wrote on Twitter that there were some “extremely sick” people in hospital, including young people, and urged people to fully receive their vaccinations.

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