Boris Johnson warns Covid cases WILL rise & urges Brits to get jabs as ‘we don’t know how strong vaccine shield will be’

BORIS Johnson has warned that coronavirus cases WILL rise, and has urged Brits to get their jabs as “we don’t know how strong vaccine shield will be.”

The Prime Minister said the soaraway vaccines rollout is to thank for getting Covid under control - but cases could still soar.

Speaking at a Downing St press conference, he said: "We can see the waves of sickness afflicting other countries and we've seen how this story goes.

"We still don't know how strong the vaccine shield will be when cases begin to rise, as I'm afraid they will, and that's why we're saying please get your vaccine or your second dose when the turn comes.

"And please use the free NHS tests even if you don't feel ill."

And England's chief medical officer added that it is "vital" that people take up the offer of a second vaccine dose to increase their level of protection against Covid-19.

Professor Chris Whitty explained that data from across the UK showed an estimated 60% reduction in symptomatic disease in those who had been vaccinated.

He added there was also an 80% reduction in hospitalisations among those who had received their first dose.

Prof Whitty said: "That makes two points, firstly that these vaccines are highly effective, but secondly, they are not completely effective.

"And it is absolutely essential that everybody, as the Prime Minister has said, who is called for a second booster dose goes to take that offer up because it will increase the level of protection and almost certainly increase the duration of protection as well."

Meanwhile Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said he expects to see more vaccine trials in children in the coming months.

Asked whether there was a risk that Covid-19 could mutate to affect children and whether there will be a vaccine for children, Sir Patrick said: "There's no evidence that the virus is going to mutate specifically to affect children.

"What may happen is as more and more people become immune to the virus through vaccination is that the virus will try and get around that and try to escape the vaccine. 

“That's a normal process that viruses do so we expect that over time which is why over time it may be necessary to update the vaccines, maybe every year or every couple of years."

He added: "In terms of vaccines for children, that is being looked at and it will be the same vaccines, the Pfizer study read out last week that they're looking at this in children, and so I expect to see more trials of vaccines in children over the next few months."

It comes as England is set to re-open further on Monday April 12.

The Prime Minister said: "The net result of your efforts and the vaccine rollout is I can today confirm that from Monday, 12 April we will move to step two of our roadmap reopening shops, gyms, zoos, holiday camp sites, hairdressers and beer gardens, and outdoor hospitality of all kinds.

"And on Monday 12, I will be going to the pub myself and cautiously but irreversibly raising a pint of beer to my lips."

Mr Johnson also insisted he's confident further steps of his roadmap out of lockdown will be able to go ahead as planned.

He said: "We set out our roadmap and we're sticking to it. We see nothing in the present data that makes us think we will have to deviate from that roadmap.

"But it’s by being cautious, by monitoring the data at every stage, and by following the rules that we hope together to make this roadmap to freedom irreversible."