Vaccination alone is unlikely to contain coronavirus infections in the UK, but gradual reopening and high vaccine uptake could minimise future waves, new research suggests.

Vaccinating all adults in the UK is unlikely to achieve herd immunity and fully contain the virus, according to a new study.

Therefore, the gradual release of restrictions, high vaccine uptake, and a vaccine with high protection against infection is necessary to reduce the risk of future outbreaks, researchers say.

In England the road map out of lockdown, involves the slow and gradual relaxation of measures, with the majority of restrictions being eased after the most vulnerable have been vaccinated.

The modelling study was done before early real-world data from vaccination rollout studies.

Because preliminary findings suggest the vaccine offers some protection against infection, but the exact level is unknown, researchers analysed a range of levels of protection against infection.

Professor Matt Keeling, from the University of Warwick, said: “Our modelling suggests that vaccination rollout in adults alone is unlikely to completely stop Covid-19 cases spreading in the UK.

“We also found that early sudden release of restrictions is likely to lead to a large wave of infection, whereas gradually easing measures over a period of many months could reduce the peak of future waves.

“The huge success of the UK’s vaccine programme so far coupled with the Government’s gradual road map for easing restrictions are a cause for optimism.

“However, some measures, such as test, trace, and isolate, good hand hygiene, mask-wearing in high-risk settings, and tracing from super-spreader events, may also be necessary for some time.”

Welcome to the Yorkshire Evening Post’s live blog on Friday, March 19.