Around 60,000 deaths have been prevented in England as a result of the Covid vaccine programme, according to Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam. He also estimated that 22 million cases have been avoided, describing the success as 'truly massive'.
Speaking on a Radio 1 Newsbeat programme, Prof Van-Tam addressed concerns from young adults, nearly a third of whom in England have not received a first dose. He warned that the chances of further lockdowns would be 'much lower' if more people, including 18-25-year-olds, get vaccinated.
The estimate comes from Public Health England (PHE), which modelled a scenario with no vaccination and no new lockdowns. The model compared infection rates since January with death rates from 2020, concluding that vaccines saved tens of thousands of lives. PHE also said vaccines directly averted over 52,600 hospital admissions.
Prof Van-Tam disputed a claim by a senior minister that Covid was 'all over bar the shouting', saying: 'I wish it were so. This is not all over bar the shouting.' He predicted possible 'bumpy periods' in autumn and winter due to Covid, flu, and other respiratory viruses.
On long-term side effects, he told a 19-year-old student that any major issues would have been detected by now. He added that unvaccinated individuals may face increasing difficulties accessing venues and travelling abroad.
