TWO doses of Covid-19 vaccines are "highly effective" in preventing hospital admission with the Delta variant, Public Health England (PHE) said on Monday (14).
Scientists said two jabs of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine stopped the need for in-patient treatment in 96 per cent of cases. With a double dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca shot, the rate was 92 per cent, PHE added.
The findings were published as Britain grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases, most of which were of the Delta strain, that was first reported in India and is said to be one of the causes behind the country's deadly second wave.
The increase in Delta variant cases in the UK is again raising concerns about the potential strain on hospitals, prompting prime minister Boris Johnson to delay the reopening as planned on June 21 by four weeks in a press conference on Monday (14).
The restrictions have been in place since January, when the Alpha strain of the coronavirus, which was first identified in Kent, southeast England, spread rapidly.
The government, which began a mass-vaccination programme with the Pfizer/BioNTech jab in December last year, is pushing for more people to get two jabs.
PHE said the vaccine effectiveness for the Delta variant is comparable to that for the Alpha strain after looking at 14,019 cases of the new variant in England between April 12 and June 4.
Head of immunisation Mary Ramsay said: "These hugely important findings confirm that the vaccines offer significant protection against hospitalisation from the Delta variant."
Further investigations were underway to determine the level of protection against death from the Delta variant, PHE said, but added that it was expected to be "high".
Previous analysis indicated that one dose of vaccine is 17 per cent less effective in preventing a person developing symptoms from the Delta variant than the Alpha one. But the latest research showed there was only a small difference after two doses.
Nearly 57 per cent of the UK's adult population now have two doses, according to government statistics.
Simon Kolstoe, senior lecturer in evidence-based healthcare at the University of Portsmouth said that vaccination is clearly working.
"The vaccine certainly seems to be doing its job in breaking this link but a few more weeks to get more people vaccinated certainly seems like a sensible option,” he said.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)