Lockdown will remain intact until jabs are administered far and wide - with government ministers repeatedly emphasising that the vaccine is our ticket out of here.
The development of vaccines at the tail-end of last year had injected some much-needed hope for the future, with many anticipating and expecting some brighter months ahead.
But any NYE good cheer was dampened quickly, with soaring cases forcing England to re-enter hibernation on January 4 to relieve pressure on the NHS.
Lockdown will remain intact until jabs are administered far and wide – with government ministers repeatedly emphasising that the vaccine is our ticket out of here.
Progress is good.
ADVERTISEMENT
More than 10 million people have received a jab so far, with the government on target to vaccinate the most at-risk people in Britain (care home staff and residents, those aged 70 or over, frontline workers and clinically vulnerable) by February 15.
The latest data has also shown that the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab has a “substantial” effect on transmission, and just a single dose could offer 76% protection three months on.
ADVERTISEMENT
Cases, too, are falling – with the rolling 7-day average down from nearly 60,000 positive tests to 21,000 in the space of a month.
Bernard Sharp / Geograph
The major obstacle to the road to normalcy is the emergence of new variants.
A strain found in South Africa is currently causing most concern, with scientists believing it may be more transmissible and slightly more resistant to vaccines (although formulas are in the process of being tweaked to ensure maximum effect).
ADVERTISEMENT
In the meantime, the government is focusing on ramping up the rollout with the aim of vaccinating every adult by the end of June, according to The Telegraph.
This optimism is also being shared by certain members of academia, with Professor Andrew Hayward, – expert in infectious disease epidemiology and inclusion health research at University College London – telling The Mirror that things could be looking up by the summer.
He stated: “Once the most vulnerable people, particularly those over-50 and those with chronic illnesses, are vaccinated then yes, I think we can see a significant return to normality.
“I think what we’ll see is a phased opening up as vaccination levels increase. Then we’ll be more or less back to normal for the summer, I would imagine.”
The Bank of England is also predicting the economy to bounce back at speed – claiming that GDP would “recover rapidly” throughout the course of 2021.
ADVERTISEMENT
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has expressed hopes for a “great British summer”, which have been echoed by Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi.
David Dixon / Geograph
After a pretty torrid winter, the outlook for the UK appears to finally be improving, but there remains a huge question mark as to whether the virus will soon dwindle to tiny numbers like it has in nations such as New Zealand.
Strict border controls are also likely to remain in place for travel to any other nations where COVID variants emerge, and Dr Clare Wenham, assistant professor of global health policy at London School of Economics, said it could be another two or three years until complete normality is restored.
“This pandemic isn’t going to be over until it’s over globally,” she told Sky News.
“We’re still going to be living in some form of restrictions – travel restrictions, border controls – even when we’re vaccinated, until it’s over round the world. So there’s a real imperative to make sure that everybody round the world has at least minimum levels of vaccines at the same time.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Prof Helen Rees, who sits on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) committee for Covid-19, agreed that normal life was many months away.
She told the BBC: “I’m afraid to say… I think we are going to be well into next year before we see a change.
“The mask-wearing, the distancing – all of the measures that we have put in place – will have to continue.
“This virus is nasty and this virus knows how to change. If we want to get rid of it, my advice to the politicians is to continue what you are doing – to have these measures.”
Over the course of the next few weeks, it is likely we will begin to see a gradual lifting of lockdown measures across the UK.
ADVERTISEMENT
Schools are being tipped to return on March 8 in England – with Scotland already confirming a return for some pupils later this month.
The week of February 22 will bring us the next big update – as Boris Johnson unrolls his roadmap to exiting lockdown and announces what will reopen on which dates; including shops, pubs, gyms and hairdressers.
After this announcement, the fuzzy outlook for the rest of 2021 should come into sharper focus.
It may still involve face coverings and keeping a distance. But also far more freedom.
Trending
Michael Carrick confirmed as new interim head coach of Manchester United
Danny Jones
It’s official: Man United have announced Michael Carrick as their new head coach, at least for now, and it has been confirmed he will be in post for the Manchester derby this weekend.
Quite the baptism of fire.
Yes, only a week on from his predecessor, Ruben Amorim, being sacked by the club, and after just two games with Darren Fletcher as caretaker manager, Michael Carrick is the new interim United boss for the remainder of the season.
While it is believed that this is only a temporary appointment – with INEOS said to be continuing their search for a full-time replacement – should things go well, it wouldn’t be the first time an interim has stayed on to get the top job.
Having been pictured arriving at the Carrington training complex on Tuesday morning, 13 January, it quickly went from Carrick being considered a frontrunner alongside former interim turned full-time manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, to odds-on favourite and then all but confirmed very quickly.
The 44-year-old highly-regarded Man United midfielder, who has already served both as an assistant coach and as an interim for three games following Solskjær’s exit back in 2021.
In the time since then, not only did he go on to enjoy a mildly successful stint at Middlesbrough FC for two and a half years, which ended last June after he failed to secure a playoff spot.
Despite not gaining promotion or winning any silverware, he was often praised for his style of football and has followed the so-called ‘United Way’ in giving youth a chance.
Speaking in his first official statement, Carrick said: “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honour. I know what it takes to succeed here; my focus is now on helping the players to reach the standards that we expect at this incredible club, which we know this group is more than capable of producing.”
“I have worked with a number of the players already and have obviously continued to watch the team closely in recent years; I have total belief in their talents, dedication and ability to be successful here.
“There’s still a lot to fight for this season, we are ready to pull everyone together and give the fans the performances that their loyal support deserves.”
As for his predecessor and old teammate, Fletcher was reportedly offered a role as part of his coaching staff, but has stated his preference to drop back down to look after the under-18s squad.
🚨 | Darren Fletcher was offered a place in Michael Carrick's #mufc coaching staff, but he declined as he wants to continue working with the U18s. [@lauriewhitwell] https://t.co/7hIuKyyiRJ
Following United‘s exit from the FA Cup against Brighton, Carrick will now be in charge of just 17 games for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign, which will be their shortest on record since before WWI.
With the Red Devils currently sitting in seventh place and just a few points off the top four (having spurned multiple opportunities to leapfrog other contenders in recent weeks), financially, they simply cannot afford to spend another year without European football.
That being said, Carrick’s first two games in charge will be against a resurgent Man City and fellow title rivals Arsenal before the end of the month.
As if the prospect of another newly reshuffled backroom wasn’t already interesting enough, another club icon and England legend has also expressed his interest in becoming part of it.
Jason Wilcox, director of football (who has come under plenty of scrutiny over the past week), went on to add: “Michael is an excellent coach and knows exactly what it takes to win at Manchester United.
“He is ready to lead our talented and determined group of players for the remainder of the season as we continue to build the club towards regular and sustained success.”
It has also been confirmed that Steve Holland, ex-Boro colleague Jonathan Woodgate, Travis Binnion, Craig Mawson, as well as only recently retired United defender Jonny Evans, will all join his team.
You can watch Michael Carrick’s first full interview as interim head coach down below.
Featured Images — Matt Janzer (via WikiCommons)/MUFC/Sky Sports (screenshot via YouTube)
Trending
Manc born and bred rugby star Raffi Quirke is leaving Sale Sharks
Danny Jones
Manchester-born and bred rugby union star Raffi Quirke is leaving his boyhood club, Sale Sharks, this season.
The end of an era, but the beginning of a big new chapter for the youngster.
Still just 24, Raffi Quirke from Chorlton has been with Sale since he was a kid, coming through the youth system at Broughton Park before making his proper Sharks debut back in February 2021.
Just a few short years later, and Quirke – the number nine who became Sharks Academy graduate number 333 – has gone on to become a promising first team squad member with a bright future ahead of him. However, the next part of his career won’t be at the CorpAcq Stadium.
Since playing his first senior game as a 19-year-old, he’s gone on to make 31 starts from 80 appearances for the club, as well as earning a couple of caps for England.
Despite being more of an option off the bench during the current campaign, Quirke has shown great resilience in bouncing back from numerous injuries, including everything from a broken jaw and broken wrist to ruptured ligaments, among other problems.
Speaking about his pending departure, Raffi said: “This has been the hardest decision of my life so far because Sale is the club that I grew up supporting and dreaming of playing for.
“Playing here since I was 15 has been an amazing experience and a privilege that has shaped me as a player and a person, and I will be forever grateful to Alex [Sanderson], the owners, the coaches, the players and the supporters for truly believing in me.
“It goes without saying that I will give everything I have for the rest of the season to bring success to Sale.” He has also gone on to share a lengthier farewell statement.
"This has been the hardest decision of my life so far…"
Put simply, the still-developing scrum-half wants to search out new opportunities, adding: “I feel, for my rugby and personal development, that my story just needs a new challenge and a new setting.”
As for Sanderson, the Director of Rugby commented, “I’ve really enjoyed working with Raffi, and as a homegrown player who grew up supporting the club, we all would have loved for him to continue his career with us.
“He feels like he wants to try a new environment and a new challenge, and we respect his decision. He’ll leave with our blessing and thanks for everything that he’s given to the club while he’s been here.”
The Manc -
5th February 2021 
