Coronavirus Australia live news: Spain says it expects to achieve COVID-19 herd immunity by August 2021

Spain should achieve herd immunity from COVID-19 by August 2021, the country’s health minister says

Salvador Illa said a vaccination programme will start in January and by the end of the summer more than two thirds of the population of 47 million should be vaccinated.

“In Europe, even if it is not the final end, we will be in a very different stage. That is why I think we are at the beginning of the end with this time horizon that I say, from five to six months,” he told Publico newspaper.

Asked if this meant that Spain would achieve herd immunity, Illa replied:

“Yes. It is what the technicians call that, that people have immunity either because they are vaccinated or because they have had the disease.”

However, Illa cautioned Spaniards…