UK finally close to full freedom as Covid pandemic ‘pretty much over thanks to herd immunity’
BRITAIN is close to herd immunity, with the Covid pandemic "pretty much over for the UK", a scientist has claimed.
It comes after a week where case numbers steadily dropped for seven days straight, puzzling experts and providing a glimmer of hope.
They have suggested the fall is a fluke due to the football being over, the warm weather and a lack of testing with kids being off school.
But others disagree, saying it shows vaccines are working combined with natural immunity from past infections to beat back the virus.
Dr David Matthews, a virologist and expert in coronaviruses from the University of Bristol, told: “In terms of herd immunity – by which we mean the virus has managed to reach everybody and therefore most people will have a level of immune memory – I suspect we’re very close to it.
“Assuming nothing truly spectacularly leftfield happens, then this pandemic is pretty much over for the UK. I suspect we will not see a major surge this winter, or any serious levels of fatalities.
“The more we close the gap on the last 10 per cent who haven’t had the vaccine, the better we will be. Everyone will eventually meet the virus and it is far better to do so vaccinated.”
It comes as:
- Three most common Covid symptoms revealed – and only one is on official list
- Major green list holiday boost as more countries to be added NEXT WEEK
- UK Covid daily cases increase for the first time in a week with 27,734 as 91 deaths recorded
- Vaccinated people who catch Covid are reporting unique symptoms – the 4 signs to watch for
Herd immunity refers to where enough people in a population have immunity to infection to be able to effectively stop that disease from spreading.
Nearly 92 per cent of adults have Covid antibodies now, according to the ONS, and a large swathe of under-18s have also been infected, which will all help on the way to immunity.
University College London has estimated the UK's population immunity is at 87 per cent, with the Delta variant moving herd immunity threshold to 93 per cent.
Dr Meaghan Kall, an epidemiologist at Public Health England, said antibody data indicates those over the age of 24 are “very close to herd immunity”.
And Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, suggested the mixing at the Euro 2020 could have actually helped in the road to herd immunity.
He said: "A lot of people might be disgusted by me saying this, but ultimately the Euros might turn out to be one of the things that make the rest of the summer less stressful, as we've effectively immunised a lot more younger people who wouldn't otherwise have come for or been available for a vaccine.
“But I would stress that I would never suggest that as a control strategy in advance.”
🔵 Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest updates
Yesterday a minister claimed Britain has already reached herd immunity.
Despite Boris Johnson warning against “running away” with “premature conclusions”, said the jabs roll-out - along with 5.72million positive tests in Britain - means the virus will struggle to spread.
Speaking to the , the Government official said: "It is all over bar the shouting, but no one has noticed.
Most read in News
";Of course, we have to guard against the emergence of some terrible new variant.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"But otherwise Covid is on the point of becoming something you live with.
"It drops into the background, but it does not change anything terribly – maybe you have to take a test once in a while."
