Britons will be able to go on foreign holidays next summer, vaccine tsar predicts

Summer holidays abroad could be back on the cards for millions of Brits next year, the Government’s coronavirus vaccine tsar has predicted.

Kate Bingham said that while the virus would never completely disappear, by the summer of 2021 “we should be in a much better place to get on planes”.

The coronavirus vaccine taskforce chairwoman made the comments as the NHS began a phased rollout of Pfizer’s Covid-19 jab to older people, health staff and care home workers.

Ms Bingham told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “My gut feel is that we will all be going on summer holidays.

Britons will be able to go abroad on summer holidays next year, the Government’s coronavirus vaccine tsar has predicted.

“It is likely that those people most at risk will be vaccinated through to April, and then the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) and the Department for Health will then consider how to broaden out the vaccinations to other adults.

“I think by the summer we should be in a much better place to get on planes.

“I don’t think we’re going to get away from this virus ever – so we’re going to have to maintain sensible hygiene and washing hands, and so on.

“I would like this vaccine to be as routine as an annual flu jab and that we manage it rather than get bowed down by it.”

She said she was “delighted” the UK is the first country to start vaccination, and said she expected the Oxford vaccine would get approved too – though said there were plans if it does not come through.

“I am optimistic that the Oxford vaccine will get approved, and because of what we have put in place in terms of our industrial legacy and those plans, we will be in a much better position for the future for generating new vaccines as and when we need them.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock shared Ms Bingham’s optimism for some normality next year, saying he has “great hopes” for the summer and hopes that restrictions can be lifted from the spring.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I have great hopes for summer 2021 and I hope we can lift the restrictions from the spring.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.