The UK is now at the deadliest point of the coronavirus pandemic, at a higher number than it was at last year’s peak, England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said Monday.
“We need to be very clear that we are now at the worst point of this epidemic for the UK, in the future we will have the vaccine, but the numbers are currently higher than the previous peak – at some distance,” Whitty said against the BBC.
He said he expects the coming weeks to be the “most dangerous time” before the vaccines being rolled out across the country can have an impact. There are currently more than 30,000 people in the hospital, and that number is still rising, Whitty added.
We are now in a situation where in the UK as a whole about 1 in 50 people are infected and in London about 1 in 30, [in] In parts of London it’s about 1 in 20, so chances are that if you meet someone unnecessarily, they’ll get Covid. “
Whitty’s warning comes as seven massive vaccination centers open in England as efforts continue to massively increase the number of recipients of the injection. People over the age of 80 and health and social workers who live near the sites will have the opportunity to make appointments.
According to Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi, the UK aims to vaccinate about 15 million of the most vulnerable members of society by mid-February.
“This is really a race against time,” he told the BBC Radio 4 program.
“As soon as we open more vaccination centers next week and the following week, and of course the community pharmacies … no one should be more than ten miles from a location.”
British Health Minister Matt Hancock told the BBC on Sunday that all adults in the UK would be vaccinated by the fall. Hancock will hold a press conference later on Monday to announce the delivery plan.