Thread by @KateAndrs

This point was emphasised multiple times in today's press conference. It's an extremely bad road for the government to go down. They're saying it to ensure people keep following the rules; but the way they're starting to talk abt jabs undermines the miracle we're pulling off! 1/

https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/1376573356351307783

Nobody thought we'd get vaccines that are 100% effective. That we have multiple jabs estimated to have over 90% efficacy (and evidence so far suggesting nearly 100% effective at preventing hospitalisation and death) is truly miraculous. 2/

It's important to explain to people what their level of jab protection is - but the answer, so far, is very good! Yet today vaccine efficacy was discussed like it should worry us, or was somehow disappointing. It's not hard to imagine the countless ways this could backfire. 3/

If they're worried abt compliance as more people get protected, level with the public: we're being *extremely* cautious, we want more real-world data re transmission, we don't want to create a tiered society where some people can hug & others can't, depending on jab status. 4/

But what government should not do, under any circumstances, is downplay how successful these vaccines have so far proved to be. An extremely short-term tactic with long-term consequences. 5/5