Why has the UK vaccine rollout slowed and which countries have overtaken it?

Published

3 years ago

September 13, 2021

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At the start of 2021, the UK coronavirus vaccine rollout was one of the fastest in the world.

While the European Union launched legal action over supply shortfalls and several member states battled widespread vaccine hesitancy, by 20 March, Britain was handing out more than 800,000 doses a day.

But now it has fallen to 13th in the rankings of percentage of population vaccinated, with just 63.8% double jabbed.

And EU countries such as Malta, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, and Belgium have now overtaken, as their rollouts gain momentum and the UK loses pace.

Here Sky News looks at why the UK COVID vaccine rollout appears to have slowed down.

Children not included in UK count so far

The government’s chief medical officers only agreed to start offering the vaccine to all 12 to 15-year-olds on 13 September.

This means that until that rollout begins, a significant part of the population will not appear in vaccination statistics, putting the UK behind other countries who have been immunising schoolchildren such as Portugal and Ireland.

Dr Al Edwards, of the University of Reading’s school of pharmacy, described the concept of the UK’s rollout being ‘behind’ as “artificial”.

“In the UK we started vaccinating the really vulnerable groups first and that has had a really significant effect,” he told Sky News.

“The benefit of vaccination is different for different age groups,” he said.

“So any country that can vaccinate their most vulnerable 30% will have huge benefits because that will help prevent serious disease and death.

“When you get to between 30 and 60% those benefits become marginal.

“And then when you get to around 80%, you are really just arguing about the benefits, because they have significantly diminished.”

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Professor Andrew Preston, of the University of Bath’s department of biology and biochemistry, added that avoiding lockdowns and being able to live with the virus matters more than the numbers.

“The end game of the vaccine programme was never to vaccinate 100% of the population, it was to overcome the pandemic”, he told Sky News.

“Vaccinating children will boost the numbers, but it all depends on whether we can move back to a pre-COVID existence or not – whether that’s by vaccinating 20%, 40% or 60% of the population.

“We need to move away from just looking at the percentage vaccinated and instead at what we are actually achieving in terms of this moving towards being an endemic virus in future years.”

Tough restrictions on unvaccinated in Europe and elsewhere

Malta has vaccinated more of its population than any other country.

One of the reasons for this is its tough restrictions on those who are unvaccinated.

Since the beginning of July, people can only remove their face masks in public places if they’ve been double jabbed.

This can be proven by an official Maltese vaccine certificate or the EU ‘digital pass’.

Although France’s vaccine programme is still behind the UK’s, it has caught up significantly since the introduction of its ‘health pass’ in late July.

Its daily vaccination rate almost doubled in the weeks following, with nearly eight million getting their first dose in the first six weeks.

People now have to show a health pass to go to cafes, bars, restaurants, museums and other indoor spaces.

Similar digital passes have been introduced across Europe and beyond and have helped boost vaccination rates.

In the UK however, the government has rejected the idea of vaccine passports apart from in nightclubs and says it will only bring them in more widely if hospitalisations rise this winter.

“Other countries seem quite happy to use a more authoritarian system without batting an eyelid,” Professor Preston said.

“Italy, for example, have their green pass and it seems to be working, but here we have a very vocal minority defending those civil liberties.”

UK vaccine messaging is ‘wearing off’

Vaccine uptake in the UK is still lowest in the under-30s.

Only 48.9% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 51.8% of 25 to 29-year-olds had received two doses in England by 12 September.

Although they were last to be offered a jab, the government promised to have invited everyone over 18 to get their first by mid-July and shortened the gap between first and second from 12 to eight weeks.

Professor Sharifah Sekalala, an expert in public policy and global health at the University of Warwick, says the overall vaccine rollout has suffered from a lack of engagement with young people.

“Because of the way we banded ages at the beginning, and we reopened before they were vaccinated, people of university age feel as though their vaccinations are not as important as others,” she told Sky News.

“There has been very little consultation with them. They don’t see their GPs as much as the rest of the population, so very little community work has been done and we need to do more to address that,” she said.

Professor Sekalala also claims public messaging on the vaccine has slowed down in general, particularly with regards to underprivileged groups.

“If we’re comparing ourselves to Europe, we have massive social inequalities already, so more community work on vaccines is required,” she said.

“But it’s wearing off – it was very strong in the beginning – but now some people just think it’s all done because we’re not talking about it anymore.”

UK

Kris Hallenga, founder of breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!, dies aged 38

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2024

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Kris Hallenga, founder of breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!, dies aged 38

Kris Hallenga, the founder of breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!, has died aged 38.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 23 and lived with the illness for 15 years, tirelessly campaigning for breast cancer awareness in that time.

A statement on the charity’s website said: “She hasn’t lost a battle, she wasn’t in a fight and she certainly wouldn’t want you to see her death as tragic.

“She was simply living. She was 38 and died with fulfilment and a heart full of love.”

Ms Hallenga’s breast cancer was terminal by the time it was diagnosed in 2009.

“Kris’ ambition was for no one else to find themselves in her position and so CoppaFeel! was born, to ensure breast cancers are diagnosed early and accurately,” the charity said.

Describing her as “founder, boob chief, colleague, friend and queen of glittering turds”, CoppaFeel! said she was “the biggest promoter of being ‘alive to do those things'”.

“She approached life in a wildly creative, fun and fearless way, and showed us that it is possible to live life to the full with cancer.”

Last year Ms Hallenga threw a living funeral, where guests were invited to sign a cardboard replica of her coffin and childhood footage was projected around Truro Cathedral in Cornwall.

Dawn French did the eulogy in character as the Vicar of Dibley, while Ms Hallenga gave a speech and sparkled in a glittery jumpsuit.

Afterwards, she posted on Instagram: “I’ve never felt love like it. I’ve never felt joy like it. I’ve never felt such kinship with mortality. I’ve never felt so alive.”

Ms Hallenga campaigned for cancer education to be included in the school curriculum, won the Women of the Year Outstanding Young Campaigner award, received an honorary doctorate from Nottingham Trent University and wrote a memoir titled Glittering a Turd.

A post on her Instagram page announcing the news to her 146,000 followers was signed off by her cat Lady Marmalade.

It said: “Her final message from her to you would be one that probably involved checking your chest, getting in some cold water, talking more about death and dying, that even the turdiest of turds are glitterable, that you should always see the silly side of life, that she LOVED her life and that giving Neighbours 2.0 is worth another chance.”

UK

Ipswich Town fans enjoy ‘long-awaited’ open-top bus celebrations after Premier League promotion

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2024

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Ipswich Town fans enjoy 'long-awaited' open-top bus celebrations after Premier League promotion

Ipswich Town fans celebrated their “long-awaited” return to the Premier League after they secured promotion over weekend.

On Saturday, Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys clinched their place in the top flight with a 2-0 win over now-relegated Huddersfield Town.

The result meant Ipswich will return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.

Saturday’s victory secured the Suffolk club back-to-back promotions as they became the first team since Southampton in 2011 and 2012 to win successive promotions to the top flight from League One.

On Monday the team rode through Ipswich on an open-top bus, with thousands of fans turning out to celebrate.

Speaking to Sky News, fans described feelings of euphoria amid the celebrations, as others were enjoying a long weekend of non-stop celebrating.

“It’s been a really really long time coming,” one fan said.

Paul Smith, who like many was on his second day of celebrating, said: “I’ve been lucky enough to live through an era of seeing the great times at Ipswich, but I dragged him [his son] along for many many years and I’m grateful his generation gets to see some great times as well.

“When you realise the teams we’re going to be playing it’s incredible.”

Paul’s son Arthur said it was “euphoric” seeing his side promoted but admitted to feeling quite “jaded” from the celebrations.

It was also quite an emotional moment for some who shared a bond with the club with family members.

Adam Conuel, another fan, described the promotion in one word: “Unbelievable”.

He added: “My grandad passed away last year, we were quite close, he was a supporter all his life too, like my dad.”

He described the celebrations as “emotional” and said “look how many people are here, it’s crazy, I never thought in my lifetime… every conversation I’ve had with my grandpa used to be ‘we were rubbish weren’t we’ and he’s missed the past two years of us being unbelievable so it’s quite emotional to watch us.”

Again and again one name surfaced from fans out celebrating – their coach McKenna.

The 37-year-old Northern Irish manager has taken the English football league by storm in recent years, charging up to the Premier League.

A former Manchester United assistant manager, McKenna was praised repeatedly by fans for his handling of the club and his brand of attacking, and successful, football.

When he took charge of Ipswich, they were languishing in League One and now within three years he has catapulted them to the Premier League.

Speaking on board the bus, McKenna told Sky Sports News: “It’s an incredible turnout, amazing seeing so much joy.

“Everyone deserves it, the whole town deserves it, the players … for how hard they’ve worked. And the supporters, who’ve followed so loyally for years and have been waiting for a day like this.

“We just set out to be as good as we could possibly be.

“The closer you get to the end you know you’re within reach of an amazing achievement and we’re so glad we were able to finish off well.”

UK

Scottish singer drafted in to replace Olly Murs at Glasgow Take That concert thought offer was a ‘joke’

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2024

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Scottish singer drafted in to replace Olly Murs at Glasgow Take That concert thought offer was a 'joke'

A Scottish singer plucked from obscurity at the last minute to replace Olly Murs as the opening act for Take That in Glasgow has told Sky News he thought the life-changing opportunity was a “joke”.

Daniel Rooney, 26, was playing at the Radisson Red hotel opposite the OVO Hydro when news broke that Murs was forced to cancel his support act on Friday due to transport issues.

TV presenter Ross King, who was enjoying a family dinner at the hotel, was impressed with Mr Rooney’s vocals and recommended the singer to his friend and Take That frontman Gary Barlow.

With 30 minutes to go before the show was due to start, Mr Rooney was quickly whisked to the arena and opened the festivities with a range of upbeat cover songs.

Barlow later thanked him on Instagram.

Mr Rooney, from Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire, told Sky News he thought it was a wind-up at first.

He said: “I was thinking, ‘right, who’s trying to play a wee joke on me here’. But thankfully it wasn’t a joke and Ross King was saying, ‘I’ve got an opportunity of a lifetime here, Danny boy, so are you up for it?’

“And I was.”

Mr Rooney started to feel a mixture of emotions on his way to the stage. As well as excitement, he began to feel apprehensive about what he was going to play.

He said: “I was obviously buzzing just to get that news. It was just mental.

“I had a wee discussion with the boys from Take That, who were brilliant and really good with me.

“We just agreed on making it really fun and making the songs nice big singalongs.

“It was just really great. The crowd were brilliant, and they sang to every song and the feedback was magic.”

Mr Rooney paid tribute to Mr King for the opportunity and thanked him for his warm introduction onstage to explain the situation to the crowd.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr King said: “I was listening to [Mr Rooney] while I was having dinner and was very impressed – never thinking that 30 minutes later I’d be saying ‘come with me and support Take That’.

“Gary Barlow is one of my closest pals and I’ve known the band since 1990. When Gary called me and said ‘you’re going to have to go on, Olly is stuck in London’, I thought it was a wind-up. But no.”

Mr King agreed to go on, but then pitched the idea of Mr Rooney.

Mr King added: “Daniel was the coolest guy in the Hydro and played a blinder. I was thrilled to share the stage with him and help out my old mates too.

“I know this has made news all around the world, so I hope Daniel continues to have the success he deserves.”

Mr Rooney now intends to head into the studio to record some music.

He added: “I’ve got some ideas and demos there, so this is the opportunity to get them out now and just really capitalise on the moment.”

Murs apologised for cancelling his performance at short notice after falling foul of flight issues.

The former X Factor star said he had been at Heathrow from 11am ahead of his performance on Friday night, but the flight was cancelled after “several delays” and an accident with a cabin crew member.

He later shared a video of himself being driven to Glasgow for his Saturday and Sunday performances.

Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine programme on Monday, Murs paid tribute to Mr Rooney for holding his nerve and being able to perform in front of an arena crowd of thousands with just 30 minutes’ notice.

Murs said: “Fair play to him, that’s amazing. You know what, credit to him.”