Vaccine expert: Four-week wait ‘very welcome’

A VACCINE expert from the University of Bristol has said the four-week delay to the end of all coronavirus restrictions is “extremely welcome”.

Professor Adam Finn made the comment during an interview with BBC Breakfast, as a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

He said there was “very promising evidence” that the vaccines were starting to break the link between infection and serious illness.

“I do think that we are seeing a position where there are fewer seriously ill people in the context of an increasing number of infections, and that’s extremely encouraging,” he added.

Professor Finn said getting more people vaccinated would allow the UK to “get ahead of this wave”.

“In the past, the lockdown simply pushed cases into the future, people were not infected but they were still vulnerable.

“This is different. We’re giving ourselves time to get people immune and so those people will not get sick when the virus starts to spread about.

“So, yes, the additional four weeks is extremely welcome,” he said.

Professor Finn said he believed “we’re getting into a better and better place every day” through vaccination and suggested that a decision on whether to immunise children is coming “quite soon”.

North Somerset MP Liam Fox, a qualified doctor, questioned Health Secretary Matt Hancock in Parliament on Monday night on whether many of those being hospitalised were those who had turned down vaccines.

Thangam Debbonaire, shadow leader of the House and Labour MP for Bristol West, said: “The Government’s inept border policy allowed the Delta variant first found in India to spread across the UK. This is causing Covid cases to rise once again.

“I’m particularly worried about younger people who are not yet vaccinated and for those who still cannot access the support from the Government they need to help them self-isolate.

“I’m also worried about businesses in Bristol West. Labour have argued for months that economic measures to support affected businesses must be paired with any Government announcement about changes to the 21 June ‘unlocking date’.”