London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 04, 2025

UK will be living with coronavirus 'for decades to come'

'The UK will be living with coronavirus for ‘very many, many years to come’, according to one of the Government’s top scientific advisors.
Professor Sir Jeremy Farrar, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) and director of the Wellcome Trust, appeared to throw cold water on Boris Johnson’s hope for a ‘significant return to normality’ by the end of the year.

He told the Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee: ‘Things will not be done by Christmas. This infection is not going away, it’s now a human endemic infection.

‘Even, actually, if we have a vaccine or very good treatments, humanity will still be living with this virus for very many, many years to come.’

Sir Jeremy insisted ‘we need to keep the urgency in place in June, July and August’, adding: ‘We need to move now to a consistent long-term approach to this. Because humanity will be living with this infection for decades to come.’

He said June, July and August were a ‘crucial phase’ in the battle to prevent a second wave of Covid-19.

Sir Jeremy told the committee: ‘If we have any sense of complacency of “this is behind us”, then we will undoubtedly have a second wave, and we could easily be in the same situation again.

‘The lockdowns have made an enormous difference to the community transmission – they’ve done nothing to change the fundamentals of the virus.

‘It remains as infectious as at the end of December, it has the same clinical syndrome, it kills the same number of people.

‘And as soon as the lockdowns ease, if we don’t have mechanisms to change the fundamentals – that means diagnostics, testing, treatments and vaccines – then this will come back, and it’ll come back in winter when all the other respiratory (diseases do).’

He added: ‘If we don’t have things in place by the beginning of September when schools restart, we will face a very, very difficult winter.’

Another expert, Professor Sir John Bell, of the University of Oxford, told MPs ‘the reality is that this pathogen is here forever’, adding that ‘it isn’t going anywhere’.

He said: ‘This is going to come and go, and we’re going to get winters where we get a lot of this virus back in action.

‘The vaccine is unlikely to have a durable effect that’ll last for a very long time, so we’re going to have to have a continual cycle of vaccinations, and then more disease, and more vaccinations and more disease.

‘So I think the idea that we’re going to eliminate it across the population, that’s just not realistic.’
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×