The Prime Minister made a welcome statement to Parliament today, indicating that with the vaccine programme on track to deliver the first dose to everyone in the top four priority groups, he would be bringing forward a roadmap to end restrictions in February and indicating 8th March as a possible date for the return of children to schools.
Commenting, Greg said: "It is incredibly good news that the vaccine programme continues at pace. Locally, everyone involved with our vaccination centres are working their socks off, along with an army of fantastic volunteers supporting them. I am aware of some delayed appointments in Winslow this week, and will continue to apply all the pressure possible on the government to ensure vaccine supply continues to flow into our local centres as promised. But fundamentally, everything I hear both locally and nationally stacks up that everyone in the top four priority groups (that want a vaccine) will have received their first dose by the middle of February as set out.
"With every vaccine delivered there is hope, but we cannot be blind to the high levels of anxiety in the country, not least from business owners prevented from trading, worried their businesses may not survive; or working families desperately trying to juggle supporting their children in home learning at the same time as holding down a job (or jobs). We need clarity about what needs to happen and by when, for life to start return to normal.
"So I took the opportunity of being drawn in the ballot to ask the Prime Minister a question today, to urge him to be very clear and define what he means by "when the data permits" with respect to lifting various restrictions we face. We all need that clarity in order to be able to plan for the future."
