Scientists say UK closest in Europe to leaving pandemic

Scientists say the UK is the closest in Europe to leaving the coronavirus pandemic.

According to experts, the UK is the closest to leaving the pandemic due to the population’s high level of immunity from the virus. The immunity level has been gained through a rapid vaccination programme along with the high level of coronavirus infections.

Scientists have predicted that if England stopped all restrictions and vaccinations then 10,000 more people would die due to the virus. The study also predicted that Germany would see 114,000 more deaths and Greece around 16,000 additional deaths. Greece is considerably smaller than the UK.

Dr Lloyd Chapman is from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is not sure whether the UK’s vaccine strategy was the best one. He commented: “In a sense, we paid a very high price for being further along a path towards having a high level of immunity in the population.

“Whether that was the right strategy or not, I think in a way only time will tell.”

The UK has seen a far higher death rate than the European average and infection levels have been high for months. The UK has progressed rapidly with its vaccination programme though.

“England has done a good job of getting higher vaccination coverage in the eldest age groups,” commented Dr Chapman.

The expert went on to add: “The story of the pandemic is that the really high incidence of infections has been in younger age groups, and yet the impact has really been seen in the eldest age group, so despite very high levels of natural immunity, there are still enough susceptible people through lack of vaccination.”

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