Chris Whitty ‘will take any vaccine offered’
Professor Chris Whitty has said he will take any Covid-19 vaccine offered to him, adding it is a" society" and" political" decision as to when restrictions are lifted.
England' s chief medical officer told MPS he would be keen to have a jab to protect himself, as the NHS vaccination programme continues across the UK.
He said that once around 20 million people in at-risk groups, over-50s and health and care workers are vaccinated a decision can then be made about whether tough restrictions are eased.
It comes after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Tuesday he had "high confidence that the summer of 2021 will be a bright one without the sort of restrictions that made the summer of 2020 more restricted".
Prof Whitty told the Commons Science and Technology and Health and Social Care Committee: "When it gets to my stage to be vaccinated - and I'm nowhere near the top end of the tiers so it
won't be for a while - I will absolutely have the vaccine when it is appropriate for me to do so.
"I will either have a choice between having no vaccine or the vaccine that is available for me at that stage, and I'll be very happy with that.
"If the choice is between no vaccine and a good vaccine, I'm going to choose a good vaccine.
"I don't really have a strong view as to which good vaccine I have, provided it's safe and effective."
Asked at what point restrictions may no longer be needed, he said it was a "de -risking process".