LONDON (AP) – The UK announced on Sunday that it had achieved its goal of giving at least one COVID-19 vaccine to the country’s most vulnerable people, increasing pressure on ministers to clarify when to ease the blockade imposed in early January .
More than 15 million people, or 22% of the British population, have received the first shot. The figure includes most people from the government’s four main priority groups, including those over the age of 75, front-line health workers and nursing home and resident staff. More than 537,000 of them have also received their second dose.
“15,000,000! An amazing team, ″ Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccine minister, said in a tweet that it featured a red heart and three syringes. “We will not rest until we offer the vaccine to all of Phase 1 of categories 1-9 of the most vulnerable and all 50s in late April and then to all adults.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to unveil his roadmap to ease restrictions on February 22, amid signs that rates of infection, hospitalizations and deaths have fallen sharply since the government began. England’s third national closing on 4 January.
“This country has accomplished an extraordinary feat: administering a total of 15 million blows to the arms of some of the country’s most vulnerable people,” Johnson said in a tweet.
Johnson told England that all four top-priority groups had been offered the vaccine. He plans to release more details about the vaccination effort on Monday.
Games have already begun to be played between those who want measures to be lifted as soon as possible and those who fear advancing too quickly will lead to a resurgence of the virus.
Britain strongly began its vaccination efforts in December, when it became the first country to authorize the widespread use of a COVID-19 trait. It is only behind Israel, 73%, the Seychelles, 53% and the United Arab Emirates, 51% in the percentage of people who have received a dose, according to Oxford University. The United States is fifth, with 15%.
At the same time, coronavirus blocking rules that have shut down non-essential schools, restaurants and shops in the UK are beginning to bear fruit. The number of new infections, hospital admissions and deaths recorded during the last seven days has fallen by more than 20% over the previous week.
When Johnson announced the closure, he said the government would review the measures in mid-February based on its success in controlling the pandemic and progress in the vaccination effort. Johnson’s first priority is reopening schools and he has pledged to notify schools two weeks in advance so teachers have time to prepare.
Britain has reported more than 117,000 deaths related to the virus, the highest number of pandemics in Europe.
Mark Harper, a ruling Conservative party lawmaker, has warned the government to “move the sticks” to decide when to calm the blockade.
Johnson should start reopening schools and then gradually lift other restrictions as more people are vaccinated, said Harper, who leads a group of about 70 lawmakers who have pressured the government to consider the negative economic and social impacts. of the restrictions along with the health benefits. .
“Once people are protected from serious illness and death, I don’t think these draconian restrictions are about not being able to meet your family, not seeing your friends, not seeing your children, not seeing your parents, or visiting the people who take care of the houses, I don’t think they are justifiable anymore, ”Harper told Times Radio.
After achieving the goal of reaching the most vulnerable, the UK authorities will gradually expand the vaccination drive to the next five priority groups until the vaccine is offered to all vulnerable people over the age of 50 and young people with health conditions that put them at risk for a higher risk of the virus
Public health officials say the nine top priority groups account for 99% of deaths caused so far by COVID-19.
Although vaccines currently authorized for use in the UK require two doses to ensure complete protection against COVID-19, the British authorities ensure that one dose provides a significant level of protection.
Therefore, they have considered it their priority to give the first dose to as many people as possible as quickly as possible. To do so, Britain plans to administer second doses after three months, instead of one month, as recommended by the manufacturers.
Jeremy Farrar, director of the health think group Wellcome Trust, said the number of COVID-19 infections in Britain is still too high to think about removing the restrictions.
“We’ve come a long way … but the transmission is incredibly high and we have to slow it down,” he said.
There are other dangers on the horizon. Scientific advisers from the UK government say the COVID-19 variant now prevalent in the country could be up to 70% more deadly than previous variants, and underscores concern about how mutations can change disease characteristics.
The findings of the advisory group for threats to new and emerging viruses, published on the government’s website on Friday, are based on a preliminary investigation published on January 21st. The group, known as NERVTAG, includes experts from universities and public agencies across the UK.
The new report is based on the analysis of a dozen studies that found that the so-called Kent variant, which bears the name of the county where it was first identified, is probably 30% to one. 70% more deadly than other variants. The studies compared hospitalization and mortality rates between people infected with the variant and those infected with other variants.
The results of the analysis are worrisome, said Dr David Strain, a senior clinical professor at the University of Exeter School of Medicine and clinical head of COVID at Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital.
“Higher transmissibility means people who previously had a low risk of catching COVID (especially younger fit women) are catching it and end up in the hospital,” Strain said. “This is highlighted by the latest hospitalization figures which now suggest a ratio of almost 50:50 men / women compared to this predominantly in men during the first wave.”
___
Follow all AP pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak