To date, the UK has vaccinated 89% of its adult population with a first vaccine dose and 76% with a second. This means that 60% of its total population is fully vaccinated, placing the nation among the world’s leaders on vaccine coverage (see next chart).
UK vaccinations among world’s highest.
With the UK soon to roll out COVID-19 vaccines universally to 16- and 17-year-olds, overall coverage will continue to increase.
On 19 July 2021, ‘Freedom Day’ was declared and the UK lifted almost all remaining COVID restrictions. This meant that bars, nightclubs, music festivals and other crowd-based activities opened.
Despite dire predictions, COVID cases across the UK failed to explode; although they remain at a high level overall:
Still widespread COVID infections.
Most importantly, hospitalisation rates is the UK remain at manageable levels, well below previous peaks:
UK hospitalisations under control.
Whereas COVID death rates are running at a fraction of prior peaks:
UK COVID deaths low.
Contrary to Australia, where most of the population is suffering under hard lockdown, the UK is ‘living with the virus’ and getting on with life.
The UK shows the clear path out of COVID: get the majority of the population vaccinated and open up.
Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.
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