The Indian variant of the coronavirus is already raging in Britain: reopening delayed?

The new variant of Covid-19 of India already left the first four dead Britain as the mutation spreads throughout the kingdom and threatens its opening, scientists say.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson called vaccinate intensively and warned that the variant is much more transmissible than others, during an emergency press conference in Downing St.

The head of government said the situation could mean “a serious disruption to Britain’s roadmap”, which was about to ease restrictions that had been in place for months to stop the pandemic.

Boris Johnson also warned against the risk of overflowing hospitals.

Even if they will not stop the changes of the reopening Monday of bars and pubs in the kingdom. The promises of June 21 will be greatly affected.

The Indian mutation will be the dominant variant in the coming weeks in the kingdom, with serious logistical problems for the health service.

“Faced with this Indian variant, clinically vulnerable people over 50 should be vaccinated within eight weeks,” the Prime Minister announced at his press conference.

But he argued that “there is no evidence” to suggest that the vaccines currently in use “are less effective against the B.1.617.2 strain”.

More contagious

Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, confirmed that this mutation identified in India “is more transmissible than the variant originally found in Kent”, according to his model.

“Now the question in the next two or three weeks is whether it is more transmissible or less than the Kentian variant and what the long-term implications will be in the epidemic projections,” said the British professor.

According to data released by the government, the four deaths from the B.1.617.2 strain of the virus, now known as the “worrying variant,” occurred between May 5 and 12.

Boost for vaccination

The government speed up administration of second doses after the Indian variant. “The Indian mutation” clearly exceeds “the Kent variant and could delay the lifting of the blockade in June,” warns an expert.

The Prime Minister said that “at this stage” there are important unknowns. But he thinks the Indian variant is more transmissible than the previous ones.

However, he added that “it is not known how many more”.

Johnson also noted that the race between the vaccination program and the virus could be narrowing. The government will administer second doses to people over 50 and clinically vulnerable people.

He and Professor Whitty called on everyone to get vaccinated if possible.

“I think we need to have confidence in our vaccines to protect the public and to follow developments closely,” said the Prime Minister.

Following an emergency meeting of the SAGE scientist group on Thursday, members agreed that an increase in vaccines would help stem the cases.

While the news represents a new milestone for the virus, it doesn’t necessarily imply that the new variant is deadlier than others circulating in the UK.

The Indian variant was recently detected in the UK. But the number of cases has increased considerably, with more than 1300 sequences until May 12.

The Indian variant is believed to be spreading to parts of the UK, including Bolton and Blackburn. Glasgow and Moray will remain at Level 3 amid new cases related to the Indian variant.

The United Kingdom reports this Friday 17 other deaths from the coronavirus and 2,193 new cases.

Preliminary evidence provides provisional signs that the new variant is not resistant to vaccinesand those over 60 in areas like Bolton and Blackburn experience much smaller increases in cases than those in younger age groups.

Blackburn, along with the Darwen Council, outlined their plans to vaccinate people 18 and over in the region.

Will the restrictions be extended?

There are fears that the spread of the variant will only make the Prime Minister delay stages thin to facilitate confinement Great Britain June 21.

However, the latest statistics show that about one in 1,340 people in England had coronavirus during the week ending May 8, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Means that the number of people with Covid continued to decline.

SAGE agrees that vaccines are needed in susceptible areas to help control the variant.

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said the roadmap is currently underway. But the government will not rule out local or regional closures.

Portugal will allow travelers from the UK with a negative PCR coronavirus test from Monday. But that decision could change before news of the Indian variant is heard.

Boris Johnson reported that the UK will move onto step three of the government’s roadmap to emerge from the blockade on Monday.

Setback for Boris Johnson

This is not what the Prime Minister wanted. After the optimistic headlines that followed his press conference on Monday, when he confirmed that Stage 3 of his roadmap to freedom would continue, suddenly things are different.

The health department was forced to issue an emergency declaration late at night in response to a sudden increase in the so-called Indian variant.

So, as a potent vindaloo curry, does the Indian variant get too spicy to handle?

Grimly, the last sentence of the government’s statement read: “We cannot rule out the reimposition of economic and social restrictions at local or regional level if the evidence suggests they are needed to contain or suppress a variant that escapes the vaccine. “

It is probably too late now to turn around on all the “lockdown” rules that relax Monday: opening of pubs, restaurants, theaters and cinemas, allowing spectators to return to sporting events in limited numbers.

These long-awaited and well-received changes seem secure.

What now raises questions if the Indian variant is not contained are the changes in Stage 4, which the PM has promised would come in on June 21.

Johnson and Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, warned of the need for extreme caution, accountability and following government guidelines.

Professor Whitty has always said in previous Downing Street press conferences that step 3 (opening pubs, restaurants and other closed places) raises the biggest risk of all stages of the phasing out of Covid restrictions. The danger begins on Monday.

Paris, correspondent

CB

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