The former head of the vaccine task force in the UK has stated that COVID should be treated as an endemic virus similar to influenza, and that ministers should end extensive vaccination campaigns after the booster doses are completed. According to The Guardian, Dr. Clive Dix called for a reassessment of the UK’s strategy in dealing with COVID, suggesting a shift away from the approach taken over the past two years and to coexist with COVID as the "new normal."
Dix said: "Mass vaccination in the UK should end now." He added: "Ministers must urgently support research into immunity developed against COVID beyond antibodies, to include B cells and T cells (white blood cells). This could aid in developing vaccines for those primarily at risk. We need to manage the disease now, rather than prevent the spread of the virus. Therefore, stopping severe disease progression in vulnerable groups is the future goal."
Official data revealed that the UK recorded 141,472 new COVID cases on Sunday, a decrease from 146,390 cases on Saturday, while the number of recorded deaths dropped from 313 to 97. The UK has seen a rise in cases related to the Omicron variant of the virus in recent weeks; however, the number of deaths has declined compared to previous waves of the disease.
1.217 million COVID infections were recorded last week, which is an increase of 6.6% compared to the previous week. It is noted that the COVID pandemic has claimed over 5,483,023 lives worldwide. The United States is the most affected country with 837,264 deaths, followed by Brazil (619,937), India (483,790), and Russia (316,163). The World Health Organization estimates that the death toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than the officially recorded figures.
