It is for fear of this ever-looming second wave that the health secretary said social distancing measures will remain for the ‘foreseeable’ future and that only a vaccine will allow grandparents to hug their grandchildren again. Hancock anticipates a vaccine being ready ‘some time next year’, and in the meantime social distancing, test and trace and local lockdowns will continue. He hopes these measures combined with a massive flu vaccination programme will ensure the NHS can cope.