WORCESTER’S MP said he wouldn’t speculate on whether the government may now have to change the vaccination strategy in light of new international data.

At the end of December the government decided to delay the second dose of all currently approved Covid-19 vaccines from three to four weeks to 12, in an attempt to give as many people as possible an initial dose and some protection.

That decision was taken based on trial data which had suggested one dose would be 89 per cent effective.

However preliminary data from Israel, of 200,000 people above the age of 60, suggested the effectiveness of the vaccine after 14 days from the single dose could be as low as 33 per cent.

This led to some speculation that government may have to switch back to an earlier second dose, as recommended by manufacturers.

And yesterday Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific advisor, said the government will now need to look “very carefully”at the data, and to keep measuring the numbers in the UK as the vaccine is rolled out.

Robin Walker MP, said: “It is absolutely right to keep monitoring the numbers and keep checking.

“I think all the evidence so far is that there is a substantial level of protection from the vaccine.

“All the decisions that have been reached by the chief medical officers to date are to go ahead with vaccinating as many people as possible with a first jab, and then to try and catch up with the second jab as supplies allow.

“Protection is higher after the second jab, but the very clear medical consensus is the more people you can get vaccinated with the first jab, the more people who are unlikely to get seriously ill with Covid and therefore it is worth going ahead with doing that as quickly as possible.”

Asked if the numbers do later confirm it is as low as 33 per cent, and if the government would then act, the MP added it was speculation at this point, but “any protection is better than nothing”.

Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, said: “I am delighted that the UK has procured such a wide range of vaccines and thank you to the teams who are rolling it out so fast with over 10 per cent of the local population already dosed once.

“I am certainly not an expert in vaccine efficacy and rely on the expertise of our medicines regulator to approve vaccines and on the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation to decide how to allocate these miracle drugs.

“What I would say is that I would encourage everyone who is offered a vaccination to accept and of course people should then attend for their second dose when invited.”

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Some readers voiced concerns, saying a change in strategy could be needed.

Tracey Lapsley said: “All frontline workers should have the two jabs within the three weeks.

“If the government is ordering more vaccines regularly then they should be able to do this and continue vaccinating the population.

"I know people who’ve had the first jab and weeks later get Covid.”

Paul Harding added: “It’s clear the guidelines were how the vaccine was supposed to be administered.

"It’s a bit like having antibiotics and not following what the medication says, and wondering why you’re still ill.”