A new poll has shown public support for sharing doses of Covid-19 vaccines with other countries as a way to prevent new variants from emerging.
Some have expressed concern that if a new vaccine-resistant variant were to develop overseas, it could derail the vaccine rollout programme in the UK.
Humanitarian group One Campaign said its poll reflected awareness of the reality that while some countries, including the UK, are making progress against the pandemic, the rest of the world “has some way to go”.
It comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned of “vaccine deserts” where a dozen countries – many of them in Africa – have no doses at all.
UK wants to see ‘intimate contact’ restored from 17th
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May 10, 2021
LONDON: The government wants to see “intimate contact” between family and friends “restored”, as it is expected to set out further easing of restrictions in England this week.
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said the Prime Minister will confirm on Monday the relaxation of rules for the next stage of the road map out of lockdown, which is due to take effect from May 17.
It will see most social contact rules outdoors lifted, although gatherings of more than 30 will remain illegal.
Indoors, the rule of six or two households will apply, with indoor hospitality, entertainment venues such as cinemas and soft play areas, the rest of the accommodation sector, and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes expected to reopen.
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However, Professor Andrew Pollard said that given the current global wave of Covid-19, some restrictions are expected to remain in place for a while yet.
Speaking on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Professor Andrew Pollard said: “I think that there is a future with no social distancing and no more masks, but from a global perspective we’re still a long way from that.
“Here in the UK we’ve had remarkable success through the vaccine programme and that is getting closer to happening, but from a global perspective there’s such a long way to go.”
When asked for his view on the US waiving virus vaccine patents, Prof Pollard said: “I think it’s an absolutely laudable concept to have a waiver over the intellectual property rights to allow greater use of the vaccines around the world.