There are more vaccine sceptics than we think

Can you hear it? Is that the beautiful sound of a silver bullet whistling our way? Though the prime minister does not “want to get people’s hopes up” he suggests it is “possible that we will make significant progress on the vaccine this year”.

Matt Hancock, the health secretary, says a vaccine is the “great hope”. It is indeed, but with great obstacles in its way. No one doubts the scale of the logistical challenge: giving doses to tens of millions of people; reaching the sick and elderly first; training up health workers to administer the jabs; establishing drive-through centres. Then there is the problem of public resistance — and here I fear we are underestimating the scale of the task.

Yes, we are well

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