got to get used to the idea? covid at some point and we ve ust got to get used to the idea? maybe but why can t got to get used to the idea? maybe but why can t we got to get used to the idea? maybe but why can t we be got to get used to the idea? maybe but why can t we be exposed - got to get used to the idea? maybe but why can t we be exposed afterl but why can t we be exposed after two doses of vaccine. i don t understand why suddenly because half the population has been vaccinated that everybody else can just risk getting covid. we have safe and effective vaccines. we know they work. we know they are massively effective at preventing hospitalisation and death. why don t we offer that protection to everybody instead of deciding it is only half way through? that is what i find only half way through? that is what ifind hard only half way through? that is what i find hard to understand. only half way through? that is what ifind hard to understand. i only half way through? that i
but the link between infections and long covid hasn t as far as we know. we know that is a big issue forallages, including children. well, forgive me for interrupting, i think research is ongoing about the effects of long covid, isn t it? we don t actually have any definitive data at the moment. we have lots of data, the office for national statistics released its latest update on friday, showing one million people in england are living with long covid. 400,000 of them for more than a year, 600,000 of them saying it has impacted the daily life. we have the data. it is not that we don t know it exists. imagine cycling about 200 kilometres in one go, much of it up the side of a mountain. now, imagine taking on a similar challenge virtually every day for three weeks pedalling a total of over 3,000 kilometres. it s a feat which tests professional cyclists to their limits each year, despite their training. for non professionals,
the vaccine roll out, i want to ask you very quickly about reaction to what took place this weekend with the health secretary. do you think there would have been a lot of damage done to the fight against the coronavirus? i damage done to the fight against the coronavirus? ., damage done to the fight against the coronavirus? coronavirus? i mean, obviously it is difficult for coronavirus? i mean, obviously it is difficult for me coronavirus? i mean, obviously it is difficult for me to coronavirus? i mean, obviously it is difficult for me to comment - coronavirus? i mean, obviously it is difficult for me to comment on i coronavirus? i mean, obviously it is| difficult for me to comment on this, because i m a scientist and not a politician. but i think it s a reminder to all of us, that it s really important, regardless of what we do, that we follow the rules. i worry when these high profile figures do come out and it turns out they have done something that might infringe the rules a
and there s a debut for a new form of basketball: a three a side event. japan s women opened the tournament against the russian team competed under a neutralflag but lost 21 18. but the threat posed by covid hasn t gone away. there have been 127 positive cases around the games so far, and one of them for the czech beach volleyball player marketa slukova meant that their opening match on friday againstjapan was cancelled and a win was awarded to the hosts. these games have been a long time in the making. our correspondent rupert wingfield hayes was with a family as they watched the opening ceremony. for the uno family, it has been a long, anxious wait to get to this moment.
go, who we can see, even in our own homes, how far apart we must stand. but in two weeks, things could change. covid hasn t gone, but most restriction in england are likely to disappear. restaurants and pubs can operate normally, theatres and cinemas can fill every seat, large crowds can meet once more, the prime minister putting the emphasis on personal responsibility instead of government orders. i want to stress from the outset that this pandemic is far from over and we must reconcile ourselves, sadly, to more deaths from covid. there s only one reason why we can contemplate going ahead to step four in circumstances where we would normally be locking down further, and that s because of the continuing effectiveness of the vaccine roll out. and in bristol, people are starting to contemplate life with fewer rules. personally, i think it s better to be safe than sorry, but just like every normal person, i welcome the change. it s the wrong thing,