Variant of the coronavirus in England: “You really have to get this under control”

Status: 11:13 am | Reading time: 3 minutes

reUK government health official Chris Whitty has warned of a new variant of the coronavirus that will cause the pathogen to spread faster. Government pandemic advisers believe this new variant is responsible for the dramatic increase in the number in southern England, Whitty said on Saturday.

It was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). But there is no evidence that infections are more often fatal or that the virus reacts differently to vaccines or treatments, Whitty said.

Health Minister Matt Hancock had already mentioned the new variant of the virus on Monday. Whitty said health officials identified them by monitoring the genome.

WHO is in close contact with the UK due to the spread of the new variant of the coronavirus. The WHO tweeted this on Sunday night. The UK authorities would continue to share information and results of their analyzes and studies.

“We will keep member states and the public informed as soon as we learn more about the characteristics of this variant of the virus and its effects.” In the meantime, it is recommended to continue taking all protective measures to prevent the virus from spreading.

The new variant of the virus is up to 70 percent more contagious than the previously known form, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters in London on Saturday. But there is no evidence that vaccines against the mutation are less effective.

Stronger measures for various regions

Johnson announced stricter measures for several regions of the country on Saturday. Consequently, London and parts of south-east England will move into a category in the country’s multilevel measurement system. Relaxations that were originally planned during the Christmas period will no longer apply.

Travel to or from the region is prohibited. Johnson said: “As prime minister, it is my job to make tough decisions. … We cannot continue with Christmas as planned. “Therefore, a multi-household gathering in the new” level four “regions is not possible.

No choice. “We are sacrificing the opportunity to see our loved ones this Christmas to see them again next year,” Johnson said.

“We really have to get that under control … There is a long way to go before that gets done,” Health Minister Hancock told Sky News when people in affected areas would be tighter for a longer period of time. long. It should set rules. Above all, vaccination must now be carried out so that people are safe. Until then, it is very difficult to control the spread of the new variant of the coronavirus. Half a million people are expected to get vaccinated by the end of the weekend.

Originally, a so-called “Christmas bubble” was planned, in which up to three households should be able to meet during Christmas, that is, on the days of December 23-27. For the rest of England, this period has now been shortened to one day. “If the virus changes its method of attack, we will have to change our method of defense,” Johnson said. All non-essential businesses and other facilities such as gyms or hair salons must close.

British health authorities had recorded 28,507 new infections in the 24 hours of Friday. On Saturday, the total number of recorded infections passed the two million threshold.

Also in A new coronavirus mutation has been discovered in South Africa. The 501st V2 variant could be behind the rapid spread of the second corona wave in the country, Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize said on Friday. According to South African doctors, more young people were infected during the second wave than before. They also suffered more often from a more severe course of Covid-19 lung disease.