Vaccines opened up for all over-30s as Government eyes end of social distancing
Britain is on track for a “big” fortnight of vaccinations as the Government opens up appointments to 30 and 31 year olds today, raising hopes social distancing restrictions are on track to end next month.
Nearly three-quarters of adults in the UK have already had one dose and more than two-fifths have had two. The NHS is now calling people aged 30 and 31 in England to book their first jab from today, with plans to offer doses to all adults by the end of July.
On Tuesday the vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said children would be vaccinated as soon as regulators give the all-clear.
He said he is “cautiously optimistic that we are in a good place” to end social distancing by 21 June. It comes as evidence mounts that two vaccine doses protects against the more transmissible Indian variant, which is driving some regional outbreaks.
The Government has asked people to minimise travel into and out of eight areas in England, including Hounslow, but have stopped short of local lockdowns.
A final decision on the last stage of Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of the pandemic has been pushed back as officials wait for firmer data on the transmissibility of the Indian variant and its effect on hospital admissions.
Zahawi said even fully-vaccinated people will likely still need to self-isolate if they come into contact with someone with Covid once all restrictions have been removed.
He told MPs on Tuesday that “even if you have had two doses of either vaccine – and I have had this in my own family – you can still contract Covid, and therefore you should be isolating and quarantining”.
“We’re also looking at ways contacts of people who may have contracted Covid could be readily tested instead of isolating.”