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New data gives degree of confidence vaccines work against Covid-19 variant first identified in India, UK health secretary says
From CNN s Robert Iddiols in London
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said “new, very early data” from Oxford University gives “a degree of confidence” that vaccines work against the Covid-19 variant first spotted in India.
Hancock told Sky News on Sunday that variant, called B.1.617.2, was now the dominant strain of coronavirus some parts of the UK and “spreads very fast.”
Despite concerns about the variant, lockdown restrictions across England, Scotland and Wales are due to be relaxed from Monday.
LONDON MARKET EARLY CALL: Higher call as lockdown restrictions ease
Mon, 17th May 2021 06:59
(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London are seen opening higher on Monday following a strong US close on Friday, as the UK government s road map out of lockdown enters its next stage in England.
IG futures indicate the FTSE 100 index is to open 11.39 points higher at 7,055.00. The blue-chip index closed up 80.28 points, or 1.2%, at 7,043.61 Friday.
In the US on Friday, Wall Street ended sharply higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 1.1%, S&P 500 up 1.5% and Nasdaq Composite up 2.3%.
The Japanese Nikkei 225 index was down 0.8% on Monday. In China, the Shanghai Composite was up 0.9%, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong was up 0.6%. The S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney ended up 0.3%.
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that the coronavirus variant first detected in India can "spread like wildfire" among those who haven't received a vaccine against the disease.
Boris Johnson urges heavy dose of caution as lockdown eases in UK
Experts believe the variant, which is very highly transmissible, does spread more easily but early data suggests that vaccines still work against it.
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LONON: Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday urged people to move to the next stage of considerable easing of lockdown restrictions that allows greater indoor interactions with a heavy dose of caution , as the UK continues to monitor rapidly rising cases of the B1.617.2 variant of COVID-19 first identified in India.
In what is step three of a four-step roadmap set by Johnson for easing the legally-binding lockdown restrictions, the hospitality sector including pubs, restaurants and cinemas and most businesses can resume close to normal service in England, Wales and most of Scotland.
Covid variant first found in India can spread like wildfire among unvaccinated people Tuesday, May 18, 2021 IWK Bureau
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that the coronavirus variant first detected in India can spread like wildfire among those who haven t received a vaccine against the disease.
The variant is becoming the dominant strain in some parts of the country such as Bolton and Blackburn, Xinhua news agency quoted hancock as saying to Sky News on Sunday.
But on a more positive note, he said there is a high degree of confidence that the current vaccines are effective against the variant.
Hancock urged those who are eligible for vaccination but have not yet booked an appointment to come forward to get their jab.