One of England’s top medical officials on Sunday urged the public to continue to follow strict blocking rules because any immunity related to the Covid-19 vaccine takes at least three weeks to take effect.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy medical director, also warned that there is still no clear evidence that vaccinated people cannot transmit the deadly virus to others.
“Regardless of whether someone has been vaccinated or not, it is vital that everyone follows national restrictions and public health advice, as protection takes up to three weeks to take effect and we still don’t know the impact of vaccines on transmission,” said Van -Yeah.
His warning comes at a time when the UK has recorded another high number of daily deaths from the virus of 1,348 this weekend, bringing the country’s total to 97,329.
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However, he pointed to 32 additional vaccination sites going into operation to add to the thousands of sites where the National Health Service (NHS) has applied 140 jabs per minute, bringing the total vaccinees to more than 5.8 million.
“The vaccine is something to celebrate – let’s be patient, stay home and support the NHS as it continues to launch the vaccine,” he said.
A Living Museum, where the BBC filmed the hit drama series ‘Peaky Blinders’, based on the famous Birmingham gang in the 1920s, is among the new vaccination sites.
An old IKEA store in the Westfield shopping center in Stratford, London, the Francis Crick Institute, which is also in the UK capital, Nightingale Hospital in Sunderland and Blackpool Winter Gardens will also be new vaccination centers.
The latest openings mean there will be a network of almost 50 across the country, adding options alongside hospitals, pharmacies and general clinics (GPs).
“Through the vaccine delivery plan, we have made remarkable progress in vaccinating our NHS and care staff and the most vulnerable people in society,” said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
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“We must not let our guard down. Although the vaccine can prevent serious illnesses, we don’t know if it prevents you from transmitting the virus to others, and it takes time to develop immunity after an injection, so for now, everyone should stay home to help reduce infections and protect the NHS, ”he said.
The NHS said the new vaccine centers will each be able to deliver thousands of vaccines a week, increasing and decreasing according to the vaccine supply and demand.
People qualified in the priority criteria of more than 80 years, followed by more than 70, workers and home workers, as well as frontline workers, are being invited when it is their turn and people are being urged not to just show up.
“These new centers offer another option for people invited to their jabs, alongside the fantastic work of the local GPs,” said Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director.
Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi added: “Starting next week, there will be almost 50 vaccination centers, more than 250 hospital centers and more than 1,000 local vaccination service locations, run by GPs and pharmacies across the country. .
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“This will allow us to vaccinate as many people as possible in the coming weeks and months and I encourage everyone who has been invited to a free vaccine to come forward and receive a vaccine.”
The NHS said its new Vaccination Centers will start targeting mainly health and social care teams starting on Monday, before opening their doors to more patients on Tuesday.