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The B.1.617.2 variant first found in India will over time surpass the so-called Kent variant and become dominant in the United Kingdom, Britain s top medic said on Friday.
Indian Covid variant could make it more difficult for lockdown restrictions to end in June nottinghampost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nottinghampost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
TOP NEWS: June easing of UK restrictions uncertain in face of variant
Fri, 14th May 2021 21:32
(Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that step four of England s road map in June is in jeopardy as scientists said the Indian variant of concern could be 50% more transmissible than the Kent variant.
The prime minister told a Downing Street briefing that if the Indian variant turned out to be much more transmissible than other variants, the country could face hard choices .
It comes as minutes released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies from their meeting on Thursday said it is highly likely that this (Indian) variant is more transmissible than (Kent) and it is a realistic possibility that it is as much as 50% more transmissible .
Representative Image ANI | Updated: May 15, 2021 02:33 IST
London [UK], May 15 (ANI): The B.1.617.2 variant of COVID-19, first identified in India, is likely to take over and dominate in the United Kingdom, said England s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference at 10 Downing Street, Whitty said: The thing which has changed, which is of a very clear view that this variant is more transmissible than that the B.117 and we expect that this variant will overtake and come to dominate in the UK in the way the B.117 variant took over and indeed the other variants have taken over prior to that.