Covid news – live: WHO recommends Oxford vaccine as Boris Johnson urges missing two million people to get jab
Follow the latest updates on the pandemic
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Prime minister Boris Johnson has urged two million people in the top four most vulnerable groups to take up the offer of a Covid-19 vaccine.
Speaking at the Downing Street conference on Wednesday evening, he said: "There's no doubt we've made great strides, with just over 13 million people now vaccinated in our United Kingdom, including one in four adults in England, over 90 per cent of everyone over 75 and over 90 per cent of eligible residents of care homes for the elderly.
"But that still leaves nearly two million people, a population roughly twice the size of Birmingham, that we still hope to reach.
"Now is the moment to do it."
It comes as scientists advising the World Health Organisation (WHO) have recommended the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for all adults.
The WHO's recommendation for the Oxford jab to be used across all adult age groups has been hailed as "important milestone in extending access to the Oxford-AZ vaccine to all corners of the world" by scientists.
Lifting lockdown must be done with ‘caution’
Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, has warned that lockdown measures will need to be lifted with “caution” and led by data.
he said it will be “crucial” to establish the trajectory of the Covid-19 outbreak and to “not jump ahead of it”.
Sir Patrick told a Downing Street press briefing on Wednesday: "There will be a significant number of people in high-risk groups who haven't yet been vaccinated.
"Those people remain at risk, and so it's important we go cautiously in opening up in order to be able to measure the effects.
"One of the things that is really crucial in this is to get enough information to know the trajectory we are on and to not jump ahead of it. Because we are at very high levels and that can take off very quickly.
"The virus isn't going to be particularly interested in dates."
Experts react to WHO recommendation to use Oxford jab for all adults
Experts have lauded the World Health Organisation’s recommendation that the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine be used for all adults, including those over 65.
Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, said the news was “excellent”.
“This is an important step forward and clears the way for emergency use listing, which will help ensure vaccines are used in all countries, including low- and middle-income countries, and will be hugely beneficial in our fight against the virus,” he said.
“It’s right that South Africa is carefully considering its rollout, while collecting data on the efficacy against the new variant. This vaccine will still make an enormous difference to almost all countries and must be rapidly rolled out globally to save lives and get this pandemic under control.”
Dr Penny Ward, visiting professor in pharmaceutical medicine at King’s College London, said although the WHO’s recommendation were in line with scientific assessments from the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the European Medicines Agency, authorities in different countries may still make their own decisions about administering the vaccine.
She said: “As has been observed in various EU member states, national authorities may take different decisions based on their own assessments, and possibly access to other vaccines, for populations living in individual countries.
“However, this is the third time that this vaccine has been approved for use in adults of all ages in three different jurisdictions, acknowledging the value of an effective vaccination in protecting against disease, hospitalisation and death from COVID as well as the urgent need for access to effective vaccinations internationally.”
Op-ed: Has the government finally learnt not to make pandemic predictions?
Sean O’Grady, Associate Editor of the Independent, writes that Grant Shapps’ reluctance today to offer any hope for summer holidays marks a significant shift from the government’s previous policy of overpromising and underdelivering.
Read his op-ed below:
Has the government finally learnt not to make pandemic predictions?
The transport secretary's reluctance to offer a glimmer of hope for summer holidays marks a significant shift from the previous policy of overpromising and underdelivering, writes Sean O'Grady
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments