Lift lockdown earlier as vaccination data are 'so good,' top scientist tells MPs

17 February 2021, 11:01 | Updated: 17 February 2021, 13:00

People on London's South Bank during the UK lockdown
People on London's South Bank during the UK lockdown. Picture: PA

By Patrick Grafton-Green

A top scientist has told MPs the UK lockdown could be lifted more swiftly “because the data are so good” on vaccinations.

Speaking to the Science and Technology Committee on Wednesday, Professor Mark Woolhouse from the University of Edinburgh said: “If you’re driven by data and not the dates, right now you should be looking at early unlocking because the data are so good.”

Next week Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to outline a roadmap for ending coronavirus restrictions, although he is reportedly unlikely to reveal a specific timetable beyond schools reopening on March 8.

READ MORE: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab: No single 'cast iron formula' for lifting lockdown

READ MORE: Covid cases 'need to under 50,000' before lockdown is eased, health official warns

Prof Woodhouse, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology who sits on a sub-group advising SAGE, said: “We don’t want to be overly focused on dates, we want to be focused on data, but the point I'd make about that is the data are going really well.”

“The vaccination rollout is I think exceeding most people’s expectations”, he said, adding vaccination coverage of the most vulnerable groups is “key” and take-up is “turning out to be very high”.

He said the data also showed the "actual performance of the vaccine" was very promising.

“The transmission blocking potential is key, but so of course is its actual ability to protect against death and disease and to keep people out of hospital, and all those numbers are looking really good,” he said.

James O'Brien: 1.7m more shielding proves lockdown scepticism 'stupid'

However Professor Dame Angela McClean, a SAGE member and the chief scientific adviser at the Ministry of Defence, told MPs although “things are all moving in the right direction... we still stand at a high number of infections”.

She said over 20,000 people remain in hospital compared to 15,000 in early May last year, while roughly one per cent of people had the disease in the last week.

“I would say we need to be optimistic and cautious, there are still a lot of infected people out there,” she said.

Prof Woolhouse said last year’s March lockdown could have been eased earlier, citing schools and spending time outdoors as two areas that are particularly low risk.

Foreign Secretary: More money needed to provide vaccines for poorest

He said: “In terms of easing the first lockdown, one of the things we didn’t have then was as much confidence in the scientific data that we have now so in my view we were a little slow to learn from that scientific data.”

"I'll give you two examples... that schools were having a big contribution and that children were safe, I think there was a lot of uncertainty in the wider community and policy making circles about that back in April and May, but the evidence was there so I think we could have probably considered opening schools much sooner in the first lockdown.

“The other thing, quite clearly, is outdoor activities, again there was evidence going back to March and April that this virus does not transmit outdoors.”

However Dame Angela, of the University of Oxford, insisted "caution was our friend" when it came to easing the first lockdown, and that "things went very well".

She said she believed things were "very well managed" from May until September, but that in November the lockdown was lifted too early - however she said the new variant at that time was "very difficult to foresee".

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Donald Trump nominates Pam Bondi for attorney general hours after Matt Gaetz withdraws

Starmer has backed the International Criminal Court over its arrest warrant for Netanyahu

Netanyahu faces arrest if he travels to Britain as Starmer vows to enforce International Criminal Court warrant

Yvette Cooper has branded the Rwanda scheme a "complete con."

Yvette Cooper to crack down on anti-social behaviour with new 'respect orders' as repeat offenders face jail time

King Charles III And Queen Camilla on Coronation Day

King Charles' coronation cost taxpayer £72 million, report reveals

Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City

Pep Guardiola signs two-year contract extension with Manchester City

Captain Tom's Daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore

Behaviour at Captain Tom charity left ex-boss 'gobsmacked'

Armed robbers attempted to break into the star's Sunderland home.

Masked machete-wielding robbers break into Charlotte Crosby's home while she is upstairs with two-year-old daughter

Police have released new CCTV of Harshita Brella and her husband

Chilling CCTV released of Harshita Brella and prime murder suspect husband on night she was killed

First photos of Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special as James Corden and Ruth Jones mark triumphant finale

First photos of Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special as James Corden and Ruth Jones mark show's triumphant finale

King Charles performs a Hongi, a traditional Maori greeting, with Mere Takoko

King Charles shares traditional Maori nose rub greeting with activist as he launches environmental charity

Putin issued a chilling threat to the West as he confirmed Russia launched a ballistic missile against Ukraine

Putin issues chilling warning to UK and US as he confirms Russia hit Ukraine with new 'experimental' ballistic missile

Telegraph writer Allison Pearson.

Police drop investigation into journalist Allison Pearson over tweet - as review to be launched over handling of case

Exclusive
Angela Rayner has paid tribute to John Prescott

Angela Rayner says John Prescott 'used to call her after PMQs to remind her to stay true to who she is'

Four men have been arrested accused of attempting to rob a mobile phone store

Undercover police arrest four men after EE shop raided by masked gang

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Donald Trump Watches SpaceX Launch Its Sixth Test Flight Of Starship Spacecraft

Elon Musk pledges to fire civil servants who work from home