U.K. likely to keep social distancing measures until vaccine is ready

The United Kingdom is likely to have to impose social distancing measures until an effective vaccine for coronavirus is available for the masses, said a British professor and epidemiologist who has contributed to the government’s response on Thursday.

Britain has one of the highest death rates from coronavirus, behind the U.S. and four other European nations.

The U.K. has reported 99,516 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, 12,868 deaths, and 370 recoveries, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. Britain has a population of 66 million.

“We will have to maintain some level of social distancing, a significant level of social distancing, probably indefinitely until we have a vaccine available,” Neil Ferguson told BBC radio.

His comments come just hours after British Health Minister Matt Hancock said that it is “too early” to lift lockdown restrictions in the U.K.

Government officials are expected to meet Thursday to discuss a plan to eventually lift restrictions once it is safe to do so.

The World Health Organization, which has overseen the global response to the pandemic, has cautioned countries to implement measures to lift restrictions in two-week phases in an effort to prevent a resurgence of cases.