South African variant of COVID is riskier than UK strain: Health Sec

The new variant of COVID-19 detected in South Africa poses an even greater risk than the highly infectious strain that has presented itself in British patients, the British Secretary of Health said on Monday.

Secretary Matt Hancock called the South African variant a “very important problem” in an interview with BBC radio on Monday.

“I am extremely worried about the South African variant, and that is why we have taken the steps we have taken to restrict all flights from South Africa,” he said in the program. “It’s a very, very important problem… and it’s even more of a problem than the new British variant.”

Hancock told ITV News that the strain found in South Africa “seems even easier to pass on than the new variant we saw here. [in the UK]. “

Only two cases of the South African variant have been documented in the UK, but officials hope to keep an eye on them, as 55,000 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in the country on Sunday, according to the report.

“We have to keep an eye on this one because it is even more difficult to manage than the British variant,” he said.

Hancock’s concern stems from fears that the vaccines might not be as effective against the South African variant as they are for the UK’s, tweeted Robert Peston, ITV political editor, citing one of the government’s science advisers.

Oxford University scientist Sir John Bell told Times Radio on Sunday that more research was needed and that “there is a big question mark” about whether the vaccines will work on the news. strain, known as 501.V2.

But Bell added that he doubts the vaccines will be made completely ineffective against the variant.

With pole wires