A scientist says the coronavirus restrictions currently in place across the UK will be needed for some time, despite the vaccine rollout.
In England people are now living under four tiers of restrictions, while Wales is under the highest Alert Level 4, with similar restrictions in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Experts hope vaccination will mean restrictions across the country can be eased, but one scientist says that will be some time off.
Currently, those living in tier four in England have seen shops and non-essential businesses closed, travel outside their area banned and instructions put in place to stay home wherever possible.
In tier three pubs and restaurants are closed, in tier two indoor mixing of households is banned.
Stephen Evans, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said vaccination alone will not be enough to bring the virus circulating in the community to “very low levels”.
Speaking at a press briefing, he said: “We actually need to have the absolute amount of virus circulating to be very low.
“And we won’t do that by vaccination alone until we’re getting 50% of the population vaccinated or more, and that’s going to be quite a bit of a long way off yet.
“So I fear that the sort of restrictions we have, the non-medical interventions are going to need to be carried on.”
