Door-to-door testing in England to stop South African variant spread
From CNN s Jo Shelley
Volunteers are briefed at a fire station as local authorities prepare to deploy Covid-19 testing kits on February 2, in Woking, England. Leon Neal/Getty Images
Door-to-door coronavirus testing is being rolled out in parts of England in an attempt to stem the outbreak of a more contagious variant discovered in South Africa.
The surge testing scheme will see mobile testing units deployed in eight areas where the variant has been found.
A statement released by the UK Department of Health and Social Care on Monday said 105 cases of the strain had been detected in the UK to date and 11 cannot be traced back to international travel, leading to concerns about community transmission.
East, South East and North West England. Authorities in these areas have starting offering door-to-door and mobile testing as part of a push to test 80,000 people for the variant, and are sequencing of every positive test. In all these areas it is imperative that people must stay at home and only leave home where it is absolutely essential, Mr Hancock said. The government is offered testing to everyone in these areas aged over 16, even if they have had the vaccine. Mr Hancock urged all residents and everyone who has to leave home for essential work to get tested. Workplace testing is also being expanded across the country, including at the UK parliament, and more scientific work is underway to leaven more about new variants , the Health Secretary added.
East, South East and North West England. Authorities in these areas have starting offering door-to-door and mobile testing as part of a push to test 80,000 people for the variant, and are sequencing of every positive test. In all these areas it is imperative that people must stay at home and only leave home where it is absolutely essential, Mr Hancock said. The government is offered testing to everyone in these areas aged over 16, even if they have had the vaccine. Mr Hancock urged all residents and everyone who has to leave home for essential work to get tested. Workplace testing is also being expanded across the country, including at the UK parliament, and more scientific work is underway to leaven more about new variants , the Health Secretary added.
Covid 19 coronavirus: UK variant mutates again and may be able to evade vaccines and immune system
2 Feb, 2021 05:31 PM
4 minutes to read
By: Emma Reynolds
The contagious UK variant of Covid-19 has mutated again, in worrying genetic changes that may give the virus the ability to evade the immune system, according to scientists.
Public Health England reported that tests on some samples detected genomes with the E484K mutation, which has already been seen in the highly transmissible South African and Brazilian variants.
Calum Semple, a top scientist advising the UK government, told BBC radio that this mutation of most concern had developed spontaneously in the UK variant first detected in Kent in England s south.
News 3rd Feb 2021 5:09 AM UK war hero Captain Sir Tom Moore has died after contracting COVID-19, months after he raised millions of dollars to help frontline workers battle the virus. The 100-year-old war veteran, who was awarded a knighthood by the Queen for his charity work, lost his battle with the virus on Tuesday afternoon local time, his family confirmed. Captain Tom was admitted to hospital in Bedford, England on January 31 after struggling with his breathing following treatment for pneumonia and a positive COVID-19 test. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our dear father, Captain Sir Tom Moore, his daughters Hannah and Lucy said in a statement.