Coronavirus third wave fears 'diminishing' amid UK's rapid vaccine rollout

The likelihood of a major third wave of coronavirus infections in the UK is “diminishing” alongside Britain’s rapid vaccine rollout, one of the UK’s most senior scientists said today. Professor Neil Ferguson, member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said he still expects cases and “to some extent” deaths to see a slight increase in the late summer as restrictions lift, but “at a much lower level” than in the second wave. Ferguson, whose modelling on Covid infections last Spring was crucial to the Prime Minister’s decision to enforce England’s first national lockdown, said “we don’t see any prospect of the NHS being overwhelmed” unless a new variant takes hold.