UK in ‘purgatory’ until Easter

BORIS JOHNSON welcomed another vaccine breakthrough yesterday but warned that Britain would face tough coronavirus curbs until Easter at least.

Oxford University has confirmed its cheap, easy-to-store and simple-todeliver jab had proved ‘highly effective’ in preventing illness.

It could be approved by UK regulators in as little as a fortnight and start to be administered in Britain next month. The UK has ordered 100million doses, with almost 20million due by Christmas.

Prime minister Mr Johnson praised the breakthrough, saying all vulnerable British people could be vaccinated by Easter, allowing a gradual return to normality through spring. But he also warned against ‘over-optimism’, saying there were ‘hard months ahead’ until stringent restrictions could be eased.

Setting out plans for a tougher tier system to replace the lockdown that ends on December 2 in the UK, he said onerous rules would have to remain in place until at least March 31.

Business leaders said the new system was ‘purgatory’ for firms already reeling from two shutdowns

British government ministers are already braced for chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak to unveil shocking figures tomorrow on the impact of the pandemic on the UK’s finances.