Ask Covid expert Professor Aris Katzourakis anything about ‘breakthrough infections’

The issue of infections among the double-jabbed is on the mind of many. Our science correspondent Samuel Lovett and Covid expert Aris Katzourakis will be on hand to answer your questions

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Four-fifths of all people in England aged over 16 have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, while nearly 89 per cent have received a first dose.

Separate research from the Office for National Statistics estimates that more than 90 per cent of adults in the UK have antibodies against the virus, acquired through either infection or injection.

Nonetheless, government figures show that a proportion of vaccinated individuals are being infected with Covid-19, and even requiring hospitalisation in some cases.

Although so-called breakthrough infections may sound alarming, they’re to be expected; the vaccines have been found to be extremely effective in preventing severe disease and death, but they don’t guarantee 100 per cent protection.

Reports of breakthrough cases have nonetheless sparked concern among the vaccine wary, and fuelled the false narrative that the jabs don’t work. This simply isn’t true.

To dissect this, and offer some assurances, we’re turning to a Covid expert who has been across some of the most complicated and hotly-debated topics of the pandemic.

Aris Katzourakis, a professor of evolution and genomics at Oxford University, will be joining us at 10am on Friday 10 September to answer any questions that you – our readers – have about the breakthrough infections and what the data suggests.

All you have to do is register to submit your question in the comments below. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments box to leave your question.

Don’t worry if you can’t see your question – they will be hidden until Aris and I join the conversation to answer them. We look forward to speaking with you on Friday.