Vaccination is pushing England’s population immunity to new heights

England’s population immunity to Coronavirus now stands at almost 39 per cent — a rise of 25 per cent since Christmas. The effects of the vaccination campaign are beginning to show. This is the latest finding of the PCCF model developed at Bristol University, and its results offer important insights into how much progress is being made. Immunity can take four forms, not all of which are officially recorded:

1. Immunity after infection, with antibodies: This can be sampled via antibody tests and covers between 15 and 16 per cent of the population as of mid-January, according to the latest ONS report.
2. Immunity after infection, without antibodies: Antibodies can wane over time, although recent UK research suggests that levels stay high for at least six months in over 80 per cent of people. But even when antibodies have dropped below detectable levels, immunity can still be retained thanks to the action of B-cells, first cousins to T-cells.