UK plans to delay end of restrictions as Indian variant of coronavirus is 40% more contagious



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People line up outside a vaccination center in London (REUTERS / Henry Nicholls)
People line up outside a vaccination center in London (REUTERS / Henry Nicholls)

The Delta variant of the coronavirus, first registered in India, 40% more is transmitted than the Alpha variant, until recently dominant in the UK, UK Health Minister reported on Sunday, who admitted the situation could lead to postpone the total lifting of restrictions, scheduled for the 21st of this month.

“The best estimate of the growth advantage, as we call it (…) is around 40%”, Matt Hancock, head of the Healthcare portfolio, told the UK news network BBC, citing research by the group of scientists advising the government of Tory Boris Johnson.

In view of the rise in cases, Hancock confirmed today that the Government is openly considering the possibility of postponing the reopening date, provided for 21st of June.

UK Prime Minister received second dose of AstraZeneca (Matt Dunham via REUTERS)
UK Prime Minister received second dose of AstraZeneca (Matt Dunham via REUTERS)

“For the moment it is a date marked in pencil”said before indicating that social distancing measures may continue beyond the final phase of reopening established by authorities, the news agency reported Press Europe.

End of June, about three-fifths of adults will be fully immunizedHancock added, against 52% currently.

However, he added: “If the postponement is what needs to happen because the data is deteriorating, we are quite prepared to do it.”

Experts like the University of London epidemiologist Anne johnson or the president of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Trevor PhillipsThey were adamantly opposed to any form of haste in reopening the country.

Indeed, the government adviser Stephen reicher yesterday warned that the execution of the next reopening measures it would be “imprudence” and would represent “a serious risk for the population “, according to comments collected by The Guardian.

Despite the increase in the number of new cases of Covid-19 in recent days, which more than 5000 registered daily, the number of hospitalizations remains stable, added Hancock.

Most of the hospitalizations are in patients who have not been vaccinated, he said.

the The United Kingdom, the most affected country in Europe with around 128,000 deaths, has given at least a first dose of vaccine to more than 40 million people, and more than 27 million have already received a second dose.

(With information from Telam, AFP)

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