Good Morning Britain ‘s Dr Hilary Jones has issued a powerful message for the public as Christmas approaches.
The 67-year-old health expert appeared on the ITV breakfast show on Tuesday to discuss the latest coronavirus news.
Dr Hilary chatted to hosts Adil Ray and Charlotte Hawkins about the new concerns regarding a Covid-19 vaccine, and whether one will be ready by Christmas as it has previously been hoped – while there is also uncertainty over what immunity a vaccine may offer.
The GP said: “I want people to remember that 630 healthcare workers sacrificed their lives in the first quarter of the year fighting coronavirus because they picked it up from patients in hospitals.
Dr Hilary Jones was back on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday to discuss the latest coronavirus news
“If we forget what the NHS has done so far and say ‘I don’t care’ or ‘I’m prepared to take the risk’ to me, that is a selfish way to go forward.
“We’re only going to get through this if we’re careful how we behave, how was socially distance and how we protect other people.”
Host Charlotte, 45, went on to point out that Christmas was going to be “very different” this year and Dr Hilary agreed.
Elsewhere in the show, the GP issued a warning over the reliance on herd immunity amid the pandemic.
Hilary urged people to follow the UK government guidelines, whether or not they had had the virus.
Dr Hilary chatted to hosts Adil Ray and Charlotte Hawkins about the new concerns about a Covid-19 vaccine
He said there’s uncertainty again over herd immunity and coronavirus antibodies, and whether these give someone immunity for long enough.
Hilary warned that group immunity could be “way, way off” with antibodies now shown to disappear quite quickly in the more vulnerable groups after time.
The doctor went on to discuss a recent study looking into the antibodies and how they worked in patients.
It has been reported that Covid-19 antibodies were shown to fall rapidly after recovery from the virus, in the study, meaning they don’t last for as long as it was initially believed.
The GP issued a powerful message to viewers as Christmas approaches
Immunity may only last a few months it seems, possibly dashing hopes of a herd immunity plan.
Many were relying on this plan while the wait for a vaccine continues, and while vaccine hopes are rising due to ongoing testing it’s now not clear if one vaccine will be enough.
Hilary said: “Unfortunately it looks like herd immunity is way, way off.”
He revealed how in older age groups and the most vulnerable, the antibodies lessened much quicker – while the vaccine trials saw a different result.
Hilary went on: “We can’t rely on individual or herd immunity.
“Being exposed [to the virus] does not confirm individual immunity going forward.
“So many people have been relying on [herd immunity]… that’s blown out of the water as well, we’ve got to forget getting Covid-19 will make us immune, that’s a real blow.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
