Boris Johnson has warned that coronavirus infections will rise as lockdown eases, “inevitably” leading to more hospitalisations and deaths.
Speaking to reporters in Downing Street, the Prime Minister said: "People, I don’t think, appreciate that it’s the lockdown that has been overwhelmingly important in delivering this improvement.
"Of course the vaccination programme has helped, but the bulk of work in reducing disease has been done by the lockdown.
"So, as we unlock, the result will inevitably be that we will see more infection, sadly we will see more hospitalisation and deaths. People have just got to understand that."
It comes as the first Moderna vaccine was administered in England on Tuesday.
Emily Sanderson, 28, received the jab at Sheffield Arena vaccination centre.
Ms Sanderson, who has an underlying health condition, was due to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine but it was changed to Moderna, the NHS said.
