The UK is in a race of infection vs injection – and lockdown may be part of the equation

Editorial: The arrival of a vaccine is established fact, and the challenge is to scale up production and distribution

Vaccines are being rolled out across the UK (AP)

It seems only a matter of time before virtually the whole of Britain will be placed in tier 4, and thus subject to a further national lockdown comparable at least to the one in November. 

Indeed, the discovery of a further mutated version of the coronavirus, apparently this time emanating from South Africa, it is perfectly possible that next time round the schools will be closed. As things stand they are already due to have their new terms staggered and delayed. For the nation’s children, the holiday season may well stretch far into January.

The early indications are that the South African variant, like the British one, is more transmissible than the first version of the virus. There is also some suggestion that one or other might affect children and younger people more severely than has been the case hitherto.