A Covid-19 vaccine may not help life return to normal until 2022, scientists have warned.
Experts looking at possible rollout concluded it may take up to a year after a jab is possibly approved next Spring to expand it to the general population.
A report has been published by the Royal Society looking at challenges developing, evaluating, manufacturing and distributing a vaccine.
The verdict from its Data Evaluation and Learning for Viral Epidemics (DELVE) group will come as a shock to families desperate for a jab to save us from the pandemic and has big implications for the economy.
The Government has previously suggested a working vaccine could be discovered by the turn of the year.
Author Prof Nilay Shah, expert on chemical engineering at Imperial College London, said: “It doesn’t mean that within a month everyone will be vaccinated.
“We are talking about another six months, nine months or maybe a year.
“It will take quite a long time to rollout the vaccine even once it is approved.”
Rollout would take an unprecedented logistical effort to vaccinate different age groups in GP surgeries and temporary mobile clinics.
It would likely start with the over-80s then vaccinate in five-year age groups going next to the 75 to 80 age group.
Prof Shah said it is likely to take a fortnight to vaccinate each five year age group meaning it will take between seven and nine months to get through the whole population.
The UK’s leading experts warned that while a vaccine may initially help control outbreaks, full population immunity may take a long time after the first one is approved and social distancing is likely with us for the foreseeable future.
Prof Charles Bangham, chair of immunology at Imperial College London, said: “We will have to have some restrictions that last through next year.
“It will be a tapering response.”
