Scientists show third Covid wave could see highest hospitalisation rates yet as variant could outsprint vaccine roll-out
More transmissable variants could cause 6,000 hospital admissions a day - even among a fully vaccinated population
The video will auto-play soon8Cancel
Play now
GET THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM ACROSS SOMERSET STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOXInvalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later.
SIGN UP
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with ourPrivacy Notice.
Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice
A third wave of Covid-19 fuelled by the B.1.617.2 variant first identified in India could see more hospitalisations in the UK than during the peak of earlier waves - despite the success of the vaccination programme - according to scientists.
Prof Finn, from the University of Bristol, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “There’s vulnerability across the country. The idea that somehow the job is done is wrong. “We’ve still got a lot of people out there who’ve neither had this virus … nor yet been immunised, and that’s why we’re in a vulnerable position right now.” He told LBC that pressing ahead with the easing of restrictions on June 21 “may be a bad decision”. Professor Ravi Gupta, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), said a delay of a few weeks could have a significant impact on Britain’s battle against the pandemic and recommended it should be made clear to the public that it would be a temporary measure based on the surge in cases of the new variant.
The UK has not reported any deaths linked to Covid-19 for the first day since summer last year.
No deaths within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 were reported on Tuesday, according to the Government.
It is the first time this has happened since July 30, 2020.
Meanwhile scientists continue to debate whether the Government should press ahead with the final stages of easing social restrictions later this month.
Downing Street has indicated that Boris Johnson still sees nothing in the data to suggest the plan to end all legal lockdown restrictions on June 21 will need to be delayed.
Asked about the Prime Minister’s plans amid warnings over the spread of the Indian variant, a No 10 spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has said on a number of occasions that we haven’t seen anything in the data but we will continue to look at the data, we will continue to look at the latest scientific evidence as we move through June towards June 21.”
Every British adult will be able to get vaccinated within weeks – as country records ZERO Covid deaths for the first time in 447 days giving further hope the jabs are working despite 30 percent rise in cases
Ministers are preparing to offer vaccines to all over-18s within weeks to help halt the spread of Indian variant
The zero death toll is the first since the depth of summer 2020, when the virus had all but vanished in the UK
It marks a milestone for Britain but fears are growing that the Indian variant will spark a third wave in weeks
Professor Tim Spector, who runs the Covid Symptom Study, said it isn t unstoppable and vaccines work
Council reveals its £17m plan to transform Mansfield with 6 projects confirmed
An array of plans have been unveiled as part of the Towns Fund initiative
Mansfield District Council has outlined its multi-million-pound plan to revamp the district. Pictured is (Image: Andrew Topping / Nottingham Post)
Never miss another Mansfield story by signing up to our free email updatesInvalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later.
Subscribe
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with ourPrivacy Notice.
Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice