SAGE Professor warns of ‘fourth wave’ of Covid-19 despite vaccine success

COVID-19 vaccination of health care workers at the CHR Centre Hospitalier Regional de la Citadelle in Liege
A medical worker fills a syringe with a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease
REUTERS

A top professor has warned that a “fourth wave” of Covid-19 in the UK is "still likely" despite the record-breaking vaccine rollout.

SAGE adviser Professor Andrew Hayward said that a rise in positive tests is probable but hoped that the vaccines would reduce the number of deaths and hospitalisations.

Speaking to Times Radio, the University College London scientist was asked if a surge of infections could occur if "mistakes" as we come out of lockdown.

He said: "I think another wave is possible, likely even.

"I guess the difference is that another wave will cause substantially fewer deaths and hospitalisations because of high levels of vaccination across the sorts of people who would have ended up in hospital or unfortunately dying if they haven’t been vaccinated.

"So the consequences of another wave are less. I think the challenge is of course we don’t know exactly how much less.

"We know some people are still not vaccinated, because the uptake hasn’t been complete.

"We know the vaccine isn’t 100 per cent effective, although it’s very good."

He said if there were further rounds of infections, a "very close eye" needed to be kept on who Covid was infecting and whether they were in vulnerable age groups.

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the vaccination of more than half the UK’s adult population against Covid-19 as a “phenomenal achievement”.

Government data up to March 19 suggests that 26,853,407 people aged 18 and over have now received a first dose of the jab – around 51 per cent of the population.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it remains “on track” to offer the vaccine to all over-50s by April 15.

It comes as countries across Europe have had to impose tougher restrictions amid a rise in Covid-19 cases, with UK scientists warning overseas holidays this summer will be “extremely unlikely”.

Mr Hancock said: “Vaccinating over half of all adults is a phenomenal achievement and is testament to the mammoth efforts of the NHS, GPs, volunteers, local authorities and civil servants in every corner of the UK.

“During April, we will continue to vaccinate those most at risk and around 12 million people will receive their second doses as well.

“It is absolutely crucial people come forward as soon as they are eligible. When you get the call, get the jab, because the more people who are vaccinated the safer we will all be.”

Some 2,132,551 people in the UK – around 4 per cent of all adults – have been given their second dose of the vaccine, while almost 95 per cent of people aged 60 and over have received their first jab, the DHSC said.

Government data suggests that 711,156 vaccines – both first and second doses – were administered across the UK on Friday.

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