and, in many richer countries, including the us, that s exactly what happened. we are announcing our plan to stay ahead of this virus l by being prepared to offer covid 19 booster shots. . now at this stage, boosters were a response to waning immunity. but right now, they re needed for another reason, too the omicron variant. we know that two doses of vaccine are not enough to stop you getting infected with omicron. but a booster will cut your risk of symptomatic infection by around 70%. that s why in the uk, we ve seen people queuing for hours to get a booster. this year has shown the need for a third jab. and omicron has also taught us other ways the pandemic has evolved. for one, just like the scientists said they would, variants have arrived. alpha, beta, and delta drove covid infections globally with devastating
illness, but wouldn t stop the spread of the virus. delta in particular had made sure of that. and, by the end of the summer, it was also clear that two jabs would not be enough. people s immunity was waning. and, in many richer countries, including the us, that s exactly what happened. we need to see if there is waning against mild disease begins to translate into occurrence of more severe occurrences. in translate into occurrence of more severe occurrences. translate into occurrence of more severe occurrences. in many richer countries. severe occurrences. in many richer countries, including severe occurrences. in many richer countries, including the severe occurrences. in many richer countries, including the us, - severe occurrences. in many richer countries, including the us, this i severe occurrences. in many richer countries, including the us, this is| countries, including the us, this is exactly what happened. we are announcing our plan to stay ahead of this virus l by bei
by being prepared to offer covid 19 booster shots. . now at this stage, boosters were a response to waning immunity. but right now, they re needed for another reason, too the omicron variant. we know that two doses of vaccine are not enough to stop you getting infected with omicron. but a booster will cut your risk of symptomatic infection by around 70%. that s why in the uk, we ve seen people queuing for hours to get a booster. this year has shown the need for a third jab. and omicron has also taught us other ways the pandemic has evolved. for one, just like the scientists said they would, variants have arrived. alpha, beta, and delta drove covid infections globally with devastating consequences in india. my colleague yogita limaye described the situation. every crematorium we ve been to, we ve seen body after body being brought in. it s hard for anyone to keep count, but what workers have been
right across the year. what was less clear was whether vaccines stopped infections. what we really don t know, though, at the moment, is, does the vaccine reduce transmission? does it block infection? that was in january. by the summer, the picture was clearer. what we know with the vaccines is that they are actually remarkably effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths. they are less effective at preventing infection. the vaccines did reduce serious illness, but wouldn t stop the spread of the virus. delta in particular had made sure of that. and, by the end of the summer, it was also clear that two jabs would not be enough. people s immunity was waning. and, in many richer countries, including the us, that s exactly what happened. we are announcing our plan to stay ahead of this virus l
space and what has been really interested to see is the vast majority of reaction people have is quite compassionate and caring and acknowledgement that every time we lose people, whether we knew them or not, it hurts all of us. not, it hurts all of us. alex, how lona are not, it hurts all of us. alex, how long are you not, it hurts all of us. alex, how long are you going not, it hurts all of us. alex, how long are you going to not, it hurts all of us. alex, how long are you going to do - not, it hurts all of us. alex, how long are you going to do this - not, it hurts all of us. alex, howl long are you going to do this for? when you start to think it is all about the coronavirus, the pandemic, there are so many unanswered questions, are you just go to keep going? t questions, are you ust go to keep auoin ? ., questions, are you ust go to keep anoin? ., ,, , questions, are you ust go to keep ttoin? ., ,, , ., going? i feel a responsibility to continue going going? i feel a r