UK scientist urges patience before further lockdown relaxation

There is "very good news" in the progress of the pandemic but there is still a "potential for that spark to reignite" and cause infections to rise, professor Mark Wolport, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), told the BBC.

It is important not to repeat the mistakes of the past in reopening social life too soon as many people were still not vaccinated yet, said Wolport, as the government is facing calls to open the economy even sooner.

"We are on the cusp of being able to move to the next step of relaxation. It's absolutely right that vaccines have been spectacularly successful but not everybody is protected," he said.

"The truth is the virus has not gone away," he added.

More than 34.2 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures.

The data showed only 27.6 percent of people have had both doses of the vaccine, and 35 percent have not been vaccinated at all.

Wolport suggested that the current low levels of infections and deaths were not just due to the vaccination programme, but because people were adhering to coronavirus regulations, practicing social distancing and not meeting indoors.

 "The mistake that has been made repeatedly is relaxing just slightly too early," he said. "What we need to do is get the numbers right down. It's important that we don't act as an incubator for variant cases that might be able to resist immunity."

About 66,200 people in Britain tested positive for coronavirus in the week to April 24, down from 105,000 people the previous week, Britain's Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Friday.

The data suggested only 0.1 percent of Britain's population -- or one in 975 people, tested positive during the week.

The ONS also said infections "decreased" in every major region of Britain, including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has acknowledged that the majority of scientific experts are of the view that there will be another wave of coronavirus at some stage this year and Britons must learn to live with the virus.

However, he said there was nothing in scientific data to suggest Britain would have to deviate from the roadmap out of lockdown.

In England, restaurants and pubs are expected be resume indoor service on May 17 and most rules on gathering outdoors are expected to be lifted.

The British government's four-step plan is expected to see all legal restrictions in England being removed by mid-June.

Experts have warned that despite progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is "still not out of the woods" amid concerns over new variants, particularly those first emerged in South Africa, Brazil and India, and the third wave of pandemic on the European continent.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.