KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
Social distancing will have to stay until EVERY UK adult is vaccinated against Covid, top jab experts warn
SOCIAL distancing will have to stay until at least every UK adult is vaccinated, and potentially for years to come, top vaccine experts have warned.
Professor Jeremy Brown, who is part of the Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunisation said "some degree" of rules on staying apart would have to remain in place until July at the earliest, or infections would soar again.
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And Dr Mary Ramsay of Public Health England warned social distancing and mask wearing could be in place for YEARS as the rest of the world scrambles to vaccinate its populations.
Boris Johnson has said he wants all restrictions to be lifted by June 21.
And the PM has vowed every UK adult will get a first dose of the vaccine by July.
But experts say social distancing and mask-wearing will have to continue after that - possibly even until the winter.
Professor Brown told Sky's Sophy Ridge: "If you completely lift all restrictions, there will be a wave of infections crossing the country.
"Those that are not protected... at this point in time are still vulnerable, they will get infections, and they will probably end up in hospital and die."
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He said in order to prevent "infection going around the country, which means vaccinating everybody, then some degree of social distancing or protection is going to be required."
Large numbers of people without the jab can still spread the virus, even though huge swathes of the most vulnerable are now protected, he warned.
And Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at Public Health England warned that people may have to stay apart and wear masks for years to come.
She was asked if Brits should expect mask wearing and social distancing to go on for a long period of time, replying: "I think yes, I think we are talking about quite a long period of time.
"People have got used to those lower level restrictions now, people can live with them and the economy can still go on with those less severe restrictions in place.
"Certainly for a few years, at least until other parts of the world are as well vaccinated as we are, and the numbers have come down everywhere, that's when we may be able to go from very gradually back to a more normal situation."
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It comes as the EU doubled down on its threat to block millions of Covid vaccine doses to Britain as the continent's war over jabs boils over.
European Commissioner for financial services Mairead McGuinness today vowed that "everything is on the table" after the bloc threatened to block exports to the UK.
She confirmed today that EU leaders will hold crunch talks this week and "perhaps make decisions" over the possible blockade.
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European Commissioner for financial services Mairead McGuinness vows that 'everything is on the table-'after bloc threatened to block vaccine exports to the UK