ADVERTISEMENT

Covid Kills 640 Fully Vaccinated People in England in First Half

At least 640 vaccinated English people died of coronavirus in the first half of the year.

Covid Kills 640 Fully Vaccinated People in England in First Half
Syringes and a vial of the Covid-19 vaccine. (Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg)

At least 640 vaccinated English people died of coronavirus in the first half of the year.

That’s 1.2% of the total 51,281 Covid-19 deaths in England between Jan. 2 and July 2 recorded by the Office for National Statistics. Some of those who’d been vaccinated received a jab after they were infected.

The figures come as Prime Minister Boris Johnson scrapped plans for mandatory vaccine certificates in England and prepares the country for a mass booster vaccination program and potential shots for teenagers. The U.K. may also soon drop mandatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for returning travelers who are fully vaccinated.

Some 29,173 new Covid cases were reported in the U.K. on Sunday, along with 56 deaths. Scientists fear cases will rise in England in the coming weeks, as schools fully reopen and more people go back to work. A surge would be exacerbated by the colder weather, as people spend more time indoors and respiratory illnesses spread more easily.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.