Indian variant: ‘It’s only a matter of time’
IT is “probably only just a matter of time” before cases of the Indian Covid-19 variant are detected in Derbyshire, the county’s public health chief says.
Dean Wallace, public health director for Derbyshire County Council, made the comments after it was revealed that three cases of the potentially more infectious Indian variant had been detected in Leicester.
These cases were linked to travel from India.
Earlier this month, scientists across the globe started to detect cases of a new variant of the virus, traced back to India.
Dean Wallace, public health director for Derbyshire
County Council, said: “So far we are not aware of any Indian variant cases in Derbyshire. But with cases elsewhere in the East Midlands it is probably only just a matter of time.
“Any new variant risks putting us back to square one, so everyone needs to carry on with the basics like regular hand-washing, wearing face coverings if they can, keeping their distance from others and
making sure there is plenty of fresh air around them.
“We’re doing so well with the vaccination programme here and I’d urge everyone to take up their opportunity to get their vaccine when they are offered it.”
It is believed the Indian variant may be more contagious than other forms of the virus, but it has not been listed as a “variant of concern” alongside the UK, Brazil and South Africa variants.