The UK Government has been told restrictions could ease as early as the end of February if enough people are vaccinated in time.
Reports claim officials have been advised once the most vulnerable population numbering about 12 to 15 million people at risk of dying from the coronavirus are vaccinated, the need for further restrictions will drastically lower.
However, at the present rate, the rollout is not near to achieving the milestone that could end lockdowns in months.
So far, more than 600,000 have received Pfizer jabs in the first three weeks of the rollout.
Britain has ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine and every recipient needs two jabs for it to work and the UK’s elderly and most clinically vulnerable people and front line health and care workers are first in the queue.
Oxford and AstraZeneca have said each dose of their vaccine candidate costs about as much as a cup of coffee, as scientists work to ready the jab for the masses.
Several million doses of the jab have been manufactured and are ready to be deployed from January 4.
The Government has ordered 100 million doses, with most expected to be rolled out by March.
It has reportedly set a target of 2 million of both vaccinations to be administered within a fortnight.
A source close to the Government told a news outlet that officials have been given estimates that once the 12 to 15 million most vulnerable people have received a COVID 19 vaccine, the NHS could no longer be at risk of being overwhelmed by hospital admissions.
The source argued that the virus would continue to spread throughout the wider population who are less at risk from severe infection, but the easing of pressure on the NHS would remove the argument for further shutdowns.
It’s hoped Oxford University and AstraZeneca’s jab could soon be ready, in another boost to the UK’s vaccine effort.
But even as the mass vaccination programme starts in earnest, new mutant strains of coronavirus were found circulating in the United Kingdom a short time later.
A new variant emanating in the South East has been blamed for rapid spreading in the region and London.
The finding of the mutant strain tearing through Kent and the capital prompted the UK Government to axe its Christmas mixing plans.
Households in tier 4 areas were barred from spending Christmas together, and for everyone else, the plans to allow five days of celebrations were drastically lowered.
Vaccines delivered are vaccines administered, so the best possible method would be to see a million doses given a week, as everyone needs two jabs and there are over 66 million people in the country, and people need to be a tad more realistic.
And the Government shouldn’t be so callous as to dangle the carrot of normalcy in front of people when there’s no real chance of it being achieved, and this Government needs to earn every penny’s worth of popularity to make up for all they lost with their blundering and dishonest assertions and incompetence since they came into office.
It’s easier to proclaim the wonder of some new project before it takes place than the harsh reality of its function after it takes place, but not everyone wants it and not everyone can have it.
As it is, we go into lockdown and then the numbers decline, and then we’re permitted to go out and the carriers spread it, so we end up back at step 1.
Years ago when I was a child, we didn’t need a vaccine, the germs were carried from playing outside and eating mud pies – that would have scared COVID away!
But the Government shouldn’t be giving people hope, nothing will ease and it’s going to be a ragged ride for a long time, and even a decent number of people being vaccinated, it won’t stop restrictions – welcome to the new normal.
