Britain encourages booster jabs, resists new virus restrictions

LONDON (AP) – Under pressure from rising infections and concerned health experts, the British government on Wednesday called on millions of …

LONDON (AP) – Under pressure from rising infections and worried health experts, the British government on Wednesday called on millions of people to get booster vaccine shots, but resisted calls to reintroduce coronavirus restrictions such as mandatory mask use.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the government would “remain vigilant and prepare for all incidents” but would not trigger its “Plan B” to bring back restrictions on daily life.

The UK is heavily dependent on vaccines to keep the virus at bay in the autumn and winter months. Nearly 80% of people 12 and over in the UK have received two doses of vaccine, and millions are offered a booster shot, including anyone over 50.

But critics say the booster campaign is moving slower than the virus. The UK registered 49,139 new infections on Wednesday, by far the highest number in Europe, and cases are averaging more than 45,000 a day, up 17% from a week earlier. Hospitalizations and deaths are also rising, although both are far lower than before vaccination was widespread.

Javid said the cases “could reach 100,000 a day”, but insisted it was not yet time to turn the course.

“None of us want to go backwards now,” he said at a televised press conference, adding that the government did not believe the health care system was under “unsustainable” pressure.

But Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said the UK health service risked being overwhelmed unless more measures were put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.

“It is time for the government to immediately adopt Plan B in its strategy, because without preventive action we risk encountering a winter crisis,” he said.

The Conservative government of the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson lifted domestic coronavirus restrictions in July, including mandatory face covering and social distance. Nightclubs and other crowded venues were allowed to open at full capacity and people were no longer advised to work from home.

Infections remained stubbornly high after reopening and have recently begun to rise – especially among children who remain largely unvaccinated.

Hospitalizations and deaths are rising gradually, with deaths averaging 136 a day over the past week. Britain has recorded more than 138,000 coronavirus deaths, the highest number in Europe after Russia.

Against this background, some feel that the British have been too quick to return to pre-pandemic behavior. Masks and social distance have almost disappeared in most settings in England, although Scotland and other parts of the UK remain more strict. Even in shops where masks are recommended and on the London transit network where they are mandatory, connection is uneven.

A plan to require vaccination vouchers to attend nightclubs, concerts and other mass events in England was dropped under opposition from lawmakers, although Scotland introduced a vaccine pass program this month.

Critics say the vaccination program – among the world’s fastest earlier in the year – is going too slowly. More than 4 million people in the UK have had a booster, although about half of those eligible have not yet received their shots.

Britain also waited longer than the United States and other European nations to vaccinate children aged 12-15, and only about 15% of that age group in England have been shot.

The government says it will act to increase vaccination rates with a new advertising campaign and more websites where children can receive their pictures.

“We have lots of vaccines and we just need people to come forward and play their part,” Javid said.

He also said the government had bought two antiviral drugs to prevent coronavirus infections or learned the severity of the disease – one from Pfizer and the other from Merck Sharp & Dohme. None of them have yet been approved by the UK’s drug regulator, but Javid said he hoped they would be in use by the winter.

Javid renewed calls for people to wear masks in crowded places and keep their distance from others, though critics say such calls should be backed by legislation.

The union, which represents workers in areas including hospitality and transportation, said “customers are becoming more and more abusive” when asked to wear masks.

“The government can no longer pretend that COVID-19 is not a risk and needs immediate action to protect key workers and passengers,” said union spokesman Bobby Morton.

“The reintroduction of mask use must go hand in hand with the proper enforcement of such rules,” he said.

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