UK hurries up vaccine roll-out with lockdown easing in sight | Coronavirus pandemic Information

More than 17.5 million people, a third of the UK’s adults, have received at least one vaccine since vaccinations began in December.

The UK government has stated that every adult in the country should receive a first coronavirus vaccine by July 31st, at least a month earlier than the previous target, as it prepares to implement a “cautious” plan to facilitate lockdown United Kingdom.

The previous goal was for all adults to have a sting by September. The new goal also calls for everyone over the age of 50 and those with an underlying health condition to get their first of two vaccinations by April 15, rather than the previous May 1 date.

The manufacturers of the two vaccines used by the UK, Pfizer and AstraZeneca, have supply problems in Europe. But UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Sunday that “we now think we have the supplies” to speed up the vaccination campaign.

The early success of the UK’s vaccination effort is welcome news for a country with more than 120,000 coronavirus deaths, the highest in Europe. More than 17.5 million people, a third of the UK’s adults, have received at least one vaccine since vaccinations began on December 8th.

The UK is delaying delivery of the second dose of vaccine until 12 weeks after the first [File: Dado Ruvic/Reuters]The UK is delaying delivery of the second dose of vaccine up to 12 weeks after the first instead of three to four weeks in order to provide partial protection to more people quickly. The approach has been criticized in some countries – and by Pfizer, who does not provide data in support of the interval – but is supported by the UK government’s scientific advisers.

Despite the success of Europe’s fastest vaccination campaign, the UK government has been accused of failing to protect disabled people, who are most at risk of coronavirus.

The National Statistics Office found that 60 percent of people who died of coronavirus in England in 2020 had a physical or mental disability. But many disabled people, apart from people with “severe or profound” learning disabilities, have not been placed in a priority group for vaccination.

Reopening timetable

The news of the new vaccination targets came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson met with senior ministers on Sunday to create a “roadmap” out of the national lockdown. He plans to announce details in parliament on Monday.

Faced with a dominant variant of the virus that scientists say is more transmissible than the original virus, Britain has spent much of the winter in severe conditions. Bars, restaurants, gyms, schools, hair salons and all non-essential businesses have closed. Grocery stores, pharmacies and takeaways are still open.

The government has stressed that economic and social reopenings will be slow and cautious, with minor shopping or outdoor socializing unlikely before April. Many children will be back to school from March 8th, and nursing home residents will be able to have a visitor from the same date.

Johnson’s Conservative government has been accused of reopening the country too quickly after the first lockdown last year. Newly confirmed cases, hospitalizations, and deaths fell but remained high in February, and Johnson says his reopening roadmap will follow “data, not data”.

However, he is under pressure from some Conservative MPs who argue that restrictions should be lifted quickly to revitalize an economy that suffered three lockdowns in the past year.