Matt Hancock told Sophy Ridge on Sky News that a double dose of a coronavirus vaccine results in around 97 percent protection against dying from the virus. However, the Health Secretary admitted that the flip-side of that figure meant that there was still a possibility that some could die from the virus. It comes as the Indian variant is causing concern due to how quickly it spreads – but it is not thought to be resistant to current vaccines.
Ms Ridge asked: “So some people who have been vaccinated frankly could still end up in hospital and could still die?”
Mr Hancock replied: “Well a very small proportion that is true under the existing variants as well.
“The flip-side of saying 97 percent protection against death is that it does still leave that three percent chance.
“It is one of the reasons why in the long-term we talk about where we want to get with this disease is managing it like flu.
