One of England’s leading medical officers on Sunday urged the public to continue to follow strict lockdown rules as it takes at least three weeks for vaccine-related immunity to Covid-19 to kick in.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer of England, also warned that there is no clear evidence yet to show that vaccinated people cannot transmit the deadly virus to others.
“Regardless of whether someone has had their vaccination or not, it is vital that everyone follows national restrictions and public health advice as it takes up to three weeks for protection to begin and we don’t yet know the impact of vaccines on transmission.” Van said. -Tam.
His warning comes as the UK recorded another high daily death toll from the virus this weekend of 1,348, bringing the country’s total to 97,329.
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However, he pointed out that 32 additional vaccination sites are being deployed to add to the thousands of sites where the National Health Service (NHS) delivers 140 injections per minute, bringing the total vaccinated to more than 5.8 million.
“The vaccine is rightly something to celebrate – let’s stay patient, stay at home and support the NHS in further rolling out the vaccine,” he said.
A living museum where the BBC filmed a popular drama series ‘Peaky Blinders’, based on the infamous Birmingham gang in the 1920s, is one of the new vaccination sites.
A former IKEA store in the Westfield shopping center in Stratford, London, the Francis Crick Institute, also in the UK capital, Nightingale Hospital in Sunderland and Blackpool Winter Gardens will also become new vaccination centers.
The latest openings mean there will be a network of nearly 50 across the country, in addition to hospitals, pharmacies and GP practices.
“With the vaccine delivery plan, we have made excellent progress in vaccinating our NHS and health care workers and the most vulnerable people in society,” said UK Health Minister Matt Hancock.
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“We shouldn’t let our guard down. While the vaccine can prevent serious illness, we don’t know if it will stop you from passing the virus to others, and it takes time to develop immunity after a shot, so for now, everyone should stay home to help reduce infections. and protect the NHS, ”he said.
The NHS said the new vaccine centers will each be able to deliver thousands of jabs each week, going up and down based on the supply and demand for vaccines.
People who qualify for the over-80s priority criteria, followed by those over 70, nursing home workers and staff, as well as front-line workers, are invited when their turn is due and people are urged not to just show up.
“These new centers provide another opportunity for people invited to their injections, in addition to the fantastic work of local GPs,” said Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director.
Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi added, “As of next week, there will be nearly 50 vaccination centers, more than 250 hospital centers and more than 1,000 local vaccination services run by GPs and pharmacies across the country.
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“This will allow us to vaccinate as many people as possible in the coming weeks and months, and I encourage everyone invited to a free vaccine to come forward and get a shot.”
The NHS said its new vaccination centers will take off by poking mostly health and social care personnel from Monday before opening their doors to more patients on Tuesday.