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LONDON (BLOOMBERG) - The UK s increased Covid-19 immunity raises prospects of moving on from the worst of the pandemic, with some scientists saying the country could cross a key threshold as soon as Monday (April 12).
According to researchers at University College London, that s when so-called herd immunity could be achieved in the UK.
Almost three-quarters of the population will have antibodies against the virus, either through vaccination or past infection, they estimate.
Those developments have fuelled hopes that the nation will soon shake off its Covid shackles.
Many other scientists think the UK is much further from herd immunity than UCL s model suggests.
UK moves closer to herd immunity
Exact timing a matter of debate, but country is making rapid progress after devastating year
published : 10 Apr 2021 at 16:29 A pedestrian walks by a store being prepared for reopening in London on Friday. (Reuters Photo)
LONDON: Increased Covid-19 immunity in the United Kingdom raises prospects of moving on from the worst of the pandemic, with some scientists saying the country could cross a key threshold as soon as Monday.
According to researchers at University College London (UCL), that’s when so-called herd immunity could be achieved in the UK. Almost three-quarters of the population will have antibodies against the virus, either through vaccination or past infection, they estimate.
U.K. Races Toward Elusive Milestone in Quest to Curb Covid
Bloomberg 2 hrs ago
The U.K.’s increased Covid-19 immunity raises prospects of moving on from the worst of the pandemic, with some scientists saying the country could cross a key threshold as soon as Monday.
According to researchers at University College London, that’s when so-called herd immunity could be achieved in the U.K. Almost three-quarters of the population will have antibodies against the virus, either through vaccination or past infection, they estimate.
Britain has already seen a plunge in new cases and deaths, and the government will relax restrictions, including on outdoor dining, on Monday. Those developments have fueled hopes that the nation will soon shake off its Covid shackles.
Date Time
COVID-19 roadmap for reopening could lead to a third wave in England
The current roadmap out of lockdown for England could lead to an extra 15,700 deaths by next summer, according to Imperial’s latest modelling.
Estimates from the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team suggest that vaccination alone will not be sufficient to keep the epidemic under control due to eligibility, vaccine hesitancy, and the high transmissibility of the circulating variant.
“The magnitude of this wave is uncertain but should be lower than the previous ones, as long as the vaccine roll-out continues at high pace, with high uptake, and without immune escape variants.” Professor Neil Ferguson Imperial Covid-19 Response Team