Zero daily coronavirus deaths in England for only second time since pandemic began

Coronavirus deaths have fallen to zero in England for only the second time since the pandemic began, as new research suggests Britain’s world-leading vaccine rollout slashes the risk of dying from COVID-19 by up to 97%.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that in a dramatic reversal of fortunes, the United Kingdom now has the lowest rate of daily deaths of any major country in Europe and will reopen more sections of its economy from next week.

England, Scotland and Northern Ireland recorded no deaths on Monday and just four were registered in Wales.

The only other time that happened was on July 30th last year.

Daily deaths peaked at 1,820 during a brutal second wave in mid-January but plummeted in March and April via the combined impacts of lockdown and a war-like vaccine rollout that ranks as one of the world’s best.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the UK is on the “road back to normality”.

From next Monday, people in England will be allowed to mix in homes, dine indoors at pubs and restaurants and stay overnight in hotels.

Cinemas, theatres and museums will reopen and university students will return to in-person teaching. Up to 4000 people will be allowed to attend outdoor events, caps on funerals will be removed, and people will be able to hug their relatives again.

Johnson says this doesn’t mean they can throw caution to the winds, they all know that close contact such as hugging is a direct way to spread the disease.

The UK is recording about 2000 confirmed COVID-19 cases per day compared to the peak of nearly 70,000 in early January.

More cases are expected as the lockdown is wound back, but Johnson’s comments about living with coronavirus point to a confidence that the impact of any uptick in transmission will be offset by vaccines.

The UK has administered nearly 35.5 million first vaccine doses and 17.9 million second jabs. About 52.1 per cent of the population has been given at least one dose – a rate beaten only by Israel. The rollout will expand to those aged 35 to 39 in the coming weeks.

A new analysis of the vaccine program by Public Health England has found protection against death rises from about 80 per cent after one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to 97 per cent after two doses.

More data is needed before researchers can determine the efficacy of two AstraZeneca doses, because that vaccine rollout started later than Pfizer’s. However, Public Health England said just one AstraZeneca dose reduced the risk of death by 80 per cent.

The study has not yet been peer reviewed.

The UK’s official death toll stands at 127,690.

[Source : sydneymorningherald]