National Education Union says lessons should be moved online for a fortnight
Union says it will allow set-up of testing scheme and for vaccination of teachers
SAGE has asked UK s vaccines authority to model secondary school jab roll-out
But Downing Street says it will continue to give vaccine to most vulnerable first
Boris Johnson tonight said school reopenings were now under constant review
It comes after Matt Hancock yesterday refused to rule out any changes to plans
Scientists say a new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain is ‘extremely concerning’
Updated Dec 21, 2020;
Posted Dec 21, 2020
A man with a protective face mask passes taped off benches that should help people to keep their social distance during the coronavirus lockdown in London, Friday, April 17, 2020. A new strain of the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus was detected in Britain in September, 2020 and is spreading rapidly, prompting high levels of concern among its European neighbors. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)AP
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According to a report by Reuters, Britain is seeing the rapid spread of a new variant of the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, “referred to by some experts as the B.1.1.7 lineage.”
New coronavirus variant now found in Britain: How worrying is it?
By Reuters
By Kate Kelland
London - A new variant of the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is spreading rapidly in Britain and prompting high levels of concern among its European neighbours, some of which have cut transport links.
The strain, referred to by some experts as the B.1.1.7 lineage, is not the first new variant of the pandemic virus to emerge, but is said to be up to 70% more transmissible than the previously dominant strain in the United Kingdom.
Are the concerns justified?
Most scientists say yes. The new variant has rapidly become the dominant strain in cases of Covid-19 in parts of southern England, and has been linked to an increase in hospitalization rates, especially in London and in the adjacent county of Kent.
Scientists estimate the variant is about 40 to 70 per cent more transmissible. The U.K. government said on Saturday it could increase the reproduction R rate by 0.4, from 1.1 to 1.5 and the epidemic will grow without measures such as physical distancing and vaccination.
This means it is spreading faster in Britain, making the pandemic there even harder to control and increasing the risk that it will also spread swiftly in other countries.
WATCH | WHO research on U.K. COVID-19 variant focuses on 3 key areas:
WHO research on U.K. COVID-19 variant focuses on 3 key areas
World3 months ago
1:51World Health Organization technical lead Dr. Maria Van Kherhove says U.K. researchers studying the coronavirus variant are focusing on transmissibility, severity and antibody response. She said they re trying to determine if the apparent higher transmissibility rate is from the virus or people s behaviour.1:51
December 21, 2020 7:18 AM By Zamira Rahim, CNN
Posted:
Updated:
December 29, 2020 8:46 AM
The United Kingdom has identified a new, potentially more contagious coronavirus variant linked to a recent surge in cases in England.
The new variant is being called VUI-202012/01 the first “Variant Under Investigation” in the UK in December 2020. While scientists hunt for more information about the variant, its impact is already being felt.
Multiple countries have now imposed restrictions on travelers from the UK. British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Sunday that the variant was “out of control” and Prime Minister Boris Johnson was due to chair an emergency meeting Monday as his government tried to manage the fallout.