LONDON — The number of Third Wave Of Coronavirus infections in the United Kingdom reached a near two-month high on Friday, as British authorities approved the use of Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccination.
According to government estimates, 4,182 new confirmed cases were registered in the United Kingdom on Monday, the highest daily amount since April 1. The new cases raise the overall number of confirmed illnesses recorded in the last seven days to 20,765, up 24% from the week before. Scientists believe the United Kingdom is now in the midst of a third wave of the epidemic as a result of the increase.
The number of cases is still far below the daily high of roughly 70,000 in mid-January when the second wave was at its zenith, but the increasing trend has cast doubt on the UK government’s decision to relax all remaining social restrictions on June 21. The administration has stated it would make a decision on the next scheduled relaxation on June 14, after gradually loosening restrictions and allowing bars and restaurants to resume indoor operation last week.
The Conservative administration, according to critics, is responsible for the variant’s planting in the United Kingdom. They claim that officials took too long to implement the most stringent quarantine restrictions on all visitors traveling from India, which is seeing a devastating recurrence of the illness.
Many scientists think the surge in infections is unsurprising, but that the quick distribution of vaccinations will act as a barrier in a country where more than 127,500 people have died as a result of the virus. While the most susceptible people should be vaccinated, there are concerns that the virus will spread broadly among teenagers and young adults.
“It is fairly inevitable that the third wave of escalating COVID-19 infections will occur,” said James Naismith, a structural biology professor at the University of Oxford. “It appears that the Indian variety will largely affect the younger, unvaccinated population. In this population, it is considerably less likely to cause significant illness. Less likely, on the other hand, is not the same as zero. When there are enough infections, a significant percentage of people will get gravely ill.”
The vaccine created by J&J subsidiary Janssen was shown to be 67 percent effective overall in avoiding COVID-19 infection and 85 percent effective in avoiding severe sickness or hospitalization, according to the FDA. It can be stored from 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36 to 47 degrees Fahrenheit) in the refrigerator, making it “perfect for delivery to care homes and other sites,” according to the regulator.
The vaccine’s distribution to which groups has yet to be defined. After it was connected to reports of uncommon blood clots, it was speculated that it would only be given to the elderly.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is expected to be utilized in the autumn as part of the country’s scheduled booster campaign. Last year’s procurement of 30 million J&J pills was reduced to 20 million by the British government.
“Because Janssen is a single-dose vaccine, it will play a critical role in the months ahead as we redouble our efforts to urge everyone to get their vaccines and maybe undertake a booster program later this year,” said Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
