Coronavirus restrictions could last until at least all adults have had a coronavirus vaccine, a senior Public Health England official has warned. <\/p>\n
Dr Susan Hopkins told Sky News some measures may have to stay in place beyond that, until more was known about COVID-19 transmission “before we can release everything and get back to life as it was”.<\/p>\n
Speaking on a special programme, COVID Crisis: Learning The Lessons, she said it was “difficult to say” if rules this coming summer could be tighter than they were during the same period in 2020.<\/p>\n
“One of the things we’ve learnt is that when people go on holiday, perhaps they drop their guard a bit, perhaps they mingle a bit closer and they mingle in groups,” Dr Hopkins said.<\/p>\n
“That may be one of the areas in which spread of infection can occur.<\/p>\n
“So I think we are going to have to have some measures in place until the whole population is vaccinated, at least all of the adult population.<\/p>\n
“And even then I think we’ll need to know more about transmission before we can release everything and get back to life as it was.”<\/p>\n
Asked if more lives could have been saved in the second wave if lockdown had been imposed quicker, Dr Hopkins said: “The fullness of time will tell us how many lives could have been saved.”<\/p>\n
Meanwhile vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi pressed for everyone offered a coronavirus vaccine to get one, telling Sky News: “This is a race against death.”<\/p>\n