BRITS need to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and should continue to take the virus seriously, Professor Chris Whitty has warned.
The chief medical officer said intensive care beds were filling up across the country with unvaccinated Brits who had been struck down with the bug.
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So far in the UK over 44 million people have had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine.
Government data shows that each day over 30,000 people are still testing positive with the virus – but Prof Whitty said jabs are protecting people from severe illness.
Prof Whitty revealed a harrowing chart which showed the number of people who need to be admitted as an inpatient with Covid after visiting A&E.
The dark bars show people who are unvaccinated and the orange show those who have been – with the darker bars being significantly higher.
This means people who have not been jabbed are more likely to be admitted to hospital with the virus, than those who are fully vaccinated.
Prof Whitty said: “Every age there is a very substantially smaller proportion/risk of doing this if you are vaccinated than not vaccinated in every age.
“Someone in their 30s unvaccinated is running the same level of risk as someone in their 70s who is vaccinated.
“One of the most depressing thing for doctors is talking to people who have just chosen not to be vaccinated as it wasn’t convenient at that moment and you see them being wheeled down to intensive care and know this was a very serious result of them not being vaccinated.
“Winter is coming and people should take this seriously.”
Prof Whitty was addressing the nation during a press conference at 10 Downing Street, headed up by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Sir Patrick Vallance was also in attendance.
The PM said that the main reason the UK is able to be one of the most open economies in Europe is because of the jabs rollout.
He said: “I’m confident that vaccines have made an impact. We will be motoring ahead with the booster programme and people will get this six months after their second dose.
“Covid is still out there, it still remains a risk. But we can keep going with plans to turn jabs into jobs.”
GET YOUR JAB
He also urged Brits to encourage people to get their jabs after Whitty’s shocking slide.
The PM added: “Those are the people we should be encouraging now to get your jab, it’ll be good for you, for the reasons that Chris has lined out.
“You are overwhelmingly more likely to die if you haven’t had the vaccine.”
Getting the jab now, Prof Whitty highlighted, it important as we are now entering the autumn and winter period.
He said we are at much higher cases levels that this time last year and added that people do not need a medical degree to know that autumn and winter is a time when respiratory viruses, such as flu and others, are “hugely advantaged”.
He added: “If you’ve not had your vaccination, now is a very good time to do so.”
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