UK says COVID-19 booster and annual vaccinations very probable

[webfact]

UK says COVID-19 booster and annual vaccinations very probable

By Costas Pitas

 

FILE PHOTO: Health workers administer a COVID-19 vaccine at a drive-thru vaccination centre at Batchwood Hall, amid the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in St Albans, Britain, February 5, 2021. REUTERS/Paul Childs

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A COVID-19 booster in the autumn and then annual vaccinations are very probable, Britain's vaccine deployment minister said on Sunday as countries race to administer injections in the face of new variants.

 

Britain has already injected over 12 million first doses of COVID-19 vaccines and is on track to meet a target to vaccinate everyone in the top most vulnerable groups by mid-February.

 

Among coronavirus variants currently most concerning for scientists and public health experts are the so-called British, South African and Brazilian variants, which appear to spread more swiftly than others.

 

"We see very much probably an annual or a booster in the autumn and then an annual (vaccination), in the way we do with flu vaccinations where you look at what variant of virus is spreading around the world," Nadhim Zahawi told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

 

AstraZeneca said on Saturday its vaccine developed with the University of Oxford appeared to offer only limited protection against mild disease caused by the South African variant of COVID-19, based on early data from a trial.

 

Britain reported on Sunday a further 15,845 cases and 373 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to official figures.

 

The success of the UK's vaccine rollout, however, is spurring debate about how soon the government can ease broader lockdown restrictions, amid plans to reopen schools in England in March.

 

As some nations consider a vaccine passport to enable the easing of travel measures, Zahawi said Britain would not introduce such a system but people could seek proof from their doctor if needed.

 

"That's not how we do things in the UK. We do them by consent," he said. "We yet don't know what the impact of vaccines on transmission is and it would be discriminatory."

 

(Reporting by Costas Pitas; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Susan Fenton)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-08

 

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[RichardColeman]

Every year in the UK we have the free flu jab for the vulnerable and the old - though it is optional. There is no need for documentation when flying, etc.

 

IF they have a booster once a year for covid - then will it be for the whole country again ? Or just the old and vulnerable like flu ? And more importantly, are all visitors to the UK going to have to vaccinated with boosters before arrival for the next 20 years to protect those not taking it ?

 

We seem to be rolling out these jabs and planning for the future without actually planning for the future !

 

 

[faraday]

Well,well, well I never expected that.

 

 

But on to a serious side: How is the NHS going to be able to afford this annual top-up?

[scammed]

1 hour ago, faraday said:

Well,well, well I never expected that.

 

 

But on to a serious side: How is the NHS going to be able to afford this annual top-up?

tax increase, who would have ever seen that one coming ?

[Credo]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Every year in the UK we have the free flu jab for the vulnerable and the old - though it is optional. There is no need for documentation when flying, etc.

 

IF they have a booster once a year for covid - then will it be for the whole country again ? Or just the old and vulnerable like flu ? And more importantly, are all visitors to the UK going to have to vaccinated with boosters before arrival for the next 20 years to protect those not taking it ?

 

We seem to be rolling out these jabs and planning for the future without actually planning for the future !

 

 

Most likely we will need to have a booster at least every year.  Nobody knows for sure how long immunity lasts.  

 

[2530Ubon]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

We seem to be rolling out these jabs and planning for the future without actually planning for the future !

 

That's just the way governing has been under Boris. A ship without a rudder, reacting to the waves. Just another useless comment from the government which will probably end up with a U-turn announcement any day soon. Captain Bojo the Yoyo.

 

Interesting to see that the UK is talking about annual boosters, whilst the US is talking about achieving herd immunity by summers end. A British cup is always half empty, whilst an American cup runneth over?

Edited February 8, 2021 by 2530Ubon

[sweatalot]

Dream of the drug compoanies come true. But is this vaccination  really safe and useful?

[chilly07]

Only going to start complaining after I get my first jab. My brother in the UK has got his already and he is 5 yrs younger than me. Meanwhile Thailand proved right in waiting to see how other countries get on before starting manufacture. Now where is that Covax application form?

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, chilly07 said:

Meanwhile Thailand proved right in waiting to see how other countries get on before starting manufacture.

 

Agreed, a wait and see approach is much better in the long run and personally I can afford for the Thai economy to be shut down for years at a time so no problem there.

 

I'm not sure how many Thais would agree with this though, but I guess that doesn't matter as they all voted for the current government and you really get what you deserve when it comes to voting... right?