Professor Jonathan Van Tam warned the public to stick to the rules at today’s Coronavirus briefing at Downing Street.
As the vaccine rollout continues at speed, and more people know they are developing some protection, the suggestion is that the temptation might be to start ‘bending the rules a bit’.
Prof Van Tam appealed to the public to keep within Covid regulations and guidelines ‘for a fee more months’, he said he is generally upbeat about progress on vaccinations – but there are 40 million still to administer, given that everyone requires two of them for the best protection.
“We are not yet collectively as a country in the right place,” he added.
He says he reminds all of the patients that he vaccinates at his clinic that the rules still apply to them and everyone else until the country is in a much safer place.
“My key message tonight is, ‘look this is going very well but there are some worrying signs that people are relaxing, taking their foot of the brake at exactly the wrong time’”.
“Do not wreck this now – it is too early to relax. Just continue to maintain discipline and hang on for a few months.”
He said, ‘Don’t think, ‘just one trip to visit the grandchildren isn’t really a problem’, it absolutely is.’
He said case rates were falling generally and that this is good news, but ‘the news is better in some places than others.’
The following slides were shown at the briefing
Figures below – Cases by area in last seven days – and cases per 100,000 residents last seven days
East Midlands 8,231 170.2
West Midlands 9,297 156.7
Yorkshire and The Humber 8,466 153.8
North West 11,219 152.8
North East 3,799 142.3
East of England 5,917 94.9
London 7,313 81.6
South East 7,341 80
South West 3,849 68.4
