UK HIT BY NEW COVID STRAIN
Fears for Christmas break as ‘variant’ virus is discovered
SCIENTISTS have identified a new Covid strain which may be behind a surge in cases.
A variant of coronavirus has been discovered that ‘may be associated’ with the faster spread seen in parts of the country, particularly in southern England.
Nicola Sturgeon last night described the find as a ‘concerning development’.
The First Minister announced last month that Scotland would join the rest of the UK in relaxing social distancing rules to allow families to meet in groups of three households over a five-day period to celebrate Christmas.
Downing Street yesterday said there were ‘no plans’ to change the rules, despite a surge in cases that yesterday saw London and surrounding areas placed in Tier 3.
Edinburgh, which had hoped to come out of Level 3 restrictions, is expected to remain there following a review today as cases begin to creep up again.
Miss Sturgeon said the new variant of coronavirus was ‘clearly a potentially concerning development’.
She tweeted: ‘Our CMO @DrGregorSmith has given me an initial briefing
and @scotgov will be monitoring closely. We will also consider whether any additional precautions are required meantime.’
From tonight, London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will be placed in England’s highest Tier 3. It will see more than 60 per cent of the English population – 34million – under the highest restrictions.
Yesterday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned the new variant appears to spread more quickly, with the number of cases involving the strain ‘increasing rapidly’.
More than 1,000 have been identified so far across 60 local authorities, with recorded cases mainly in the south of England so far.
Scientists at Porton Down are carrying out tests on the new strain, although Mr Hancock stressed there was ‘nothing to suggest’ it caused more severe illness – or that vaccines would no longer work.
There is mounting scientific pressure to change the rules as some European countries toughen up their anti-Covid measures. It comes as: Miss Sturgeon warned against office parties and all ‘unnecessary’ contact with other people in the lead-up to Christmas; n The first care home residents in Scotland started to receive the coronavirus vaccine; n A pilot testing scheme found that more than 100,000 Scots may unknowingly have coronavirus.
Speaking at the Commons yester
‘Super spreaders are main problem’
day, Mr Hancock offered reassurances that it was ‘highly unlikely’ the new strain would not respond to a vaccine.
But he said that it was a reminder that we must stay ‘vigilant’.
Similar variants had been identified in other countries over the last few months, he added.
One of the country’s top microbiologists has said the emergence of a new variant of coronavirus is only to be expected.
Professor Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, also said ‘ super spreaders’ were the real problem, and that they could not be predicted.
He said: ‘ There are lots of mutations but it does not mean it’s more transmissible.
‘There needs to be more studies because I doubt it survives outside of the person better because it will have the same virus structure, which is quite fragile.
‘It should also not affect the effectiveness of the vaccine. Most people who come into contact with somebody who has Covid will not become infected – 80 per cent of cases come from contact with 20 per cent of those who have been i nfected. It i s the super spreaders who are the main problem and they can only be identified in retrospect.’
Miss Sturgeon apologised for being a ‘Christmas killjoy’ but i nsisted that people should consider a form of selfisolation before the rules are relaxed next week.
The First Minister said yesterday : ‘If we cut down unnecessary contacts, then we reduce any chance of getting the virus and inadvertently passing it on.’
Professor Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at Edinburgh University, questioned if it was worth the risk when the most vulnerable would soon be vaccinated.
She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘This is the worry about Christmas because once you enter somebody’s home, you’re probably going to get the virus if someone else there has it.
‘Within weeks people are going to be vaccinated and safe, who otherwise would be at risk.’