Study says Britain should vaccinate two million a week to avoid a third wave of COVID-19

(Reuters) – Britain must vaccinate two million people a week to prevent a third wave of coronavirus outbreaks, a study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) concluded.

The UK had more than 71,000 deaths from coronavirus and more than 2.3 million cases of COVID-19 infections on Monday, according to a Reuters count.

“The most stringent intervention scenario with level 4 (restrictions) across England and schools closed in January and 2 million individuals vaccinated per week, is the only scenario that we consider to reduce the peak ICU load (intensive care) below of the levels seen during the first wave, ”said the study.

“In the absence of substantial vaccine implantation, cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths in 2021 may exceed those in 2020.”

An accelerated absorption of two million vaccinees a week “is expected to have a much more substantial impact,” added bit.ly/3o9l2MJ. The study has not yet been peer-reviewed.

In response to the study, a UK Department of Health spokesman told Reuters that “in the coming weeks and months, the vaccination rate will increase as millions of additional doses become available and the program continues to expand” .

The British government said it had secured early access to 357 million doses of vaccines through agreements with several developers.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his scientific advisers said a variant of the coronavirus, which could be up to 70% more transmissible, is spreading rapidly in Britain, although it is not considered to be the deadliest or most serious disease causing.

This led to strong measures of restraining social mix for London and southeastern England, while plans to ease restrictions over Christmas across the country were drastically reduced or dropped altogether.

Media reports over the weekend said Britain would launch the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from January 4, with approval from the country’s medical regulator expected within a few days.

Earlier this month, Britain became the first country in the world to launch the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.

The British government said on Thursday that 600,000 people received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.