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LONDON, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Coronavirus restrictions should last until at least all adults have been vaccinated, a senior British official from Public Health England (PHE) warned Friday.
Susan Hopkins, COVID-19 strategic response director at the PHE, said some restrictions may have to stay in place beyond that until more is known about COVID-19 transmission, before "we can release everything and get back to life as it was".
Hopkins said the summer holiday could complicate the situation.
"One of the things we've learned is that when people go on holiday, perhaps they drop their guard a bit, perhaps they mingle a bit closer and they mingle in groups," Hopkins told Sky News.
"That may be one of the areas in which spread of infection can occur. So I think we are going to have to have some measures in place until the whole population is vaccinated, at least all of the adult population," she told Sky News.
"And even then I think we'll need to know more about transmission before we can release everything and get back to life as it was," she added.
Britain is stepping up efforts to speed up vaccine rollout to bring the pandemic under control.
More than 13.5 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures.
Britain aims to complete the vaccination of the top priority groups, which cover 15 million people, by mid-February.
Downing Street has confirmed that all British adults aged 50 and older are expected to be offered a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine by early May. Britain aims to offer all adults their first dose by autumn.
England is currently under the third national lockdown since outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
British Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said Friday that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson would tell lawmakers in the House of Commons, lower house of the British parliament, on Feb. 22 how the COVID-19 restrictions will start to be eased.
However, the British government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) scientists have said it was not sensible to set out a road map at all at the moment.
To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Enditem