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A new strain of coronavirus spreading rapidly in the south-east of England has raised concerns that the country will be forced into a third national lockdown in the new year.
Jeremy Farrar, head of the Wellcome Trust, said news of a new strain was a “very important concern” and illustrated the importance of reducing community transmission. Farrar said early evidence indicated that the strain would lead to more infections and that “urgent action is essential.”
He warned that the mutation meant we “could enter a less predictable phase.” “There is no part of the UK and the world that shouldn’t be affected. As in many countries, the situation is fragile, ”he said. “It may seem more difficult when we normally celebrate and appreciate family and friends, but we must continue to do whatever we can to stay safe. The impact of increased interactions over the holiday season is a major concern as infections increase and the possibility of a new variant. “
Dr Ewan Birney, deputy director general of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, said that while viruses mutate regularly, the recent strain alarmed scientists.
“When there is growth [of a virus], there are always varieties which grow and others which diminish. What worries scientists this time around is that there was a rather different strain. It has a few more, different mutations, and it has grown very strongly in the south-east of England, ”he told the BBC’s Today program on Saturday.
Although it is difficult to say whether the new strain is responsible for an increase in the transmission of coronaviruses in the region, Birney said that “the evidence points in this direction,” adding that “most scientists on transmissibility of this new strain think it goes faster ”.
However, the virus can become less virulent as it mutates, meaning it can “spread faster but cause less disease,” he said.
It is not known whether the Oxford / AstraZenica vaccine, which is being evaluated by regulators, will be effective against the new strain, but Birney said all coronavirus vaccines in development in the UK have been tested against all strains currently in circulation.
Boris Johnson held an emergency meeting with ministers on Friday to address concerns about the tension.
Reports suggest the tension could lead to restrictions on travel between the south-east and the rest of the country, especially as Christmas is expected to result in an increase in travel across the UK, but ministers insisted on Friday evening that no firm plan had been made. was done.
According to Sky News, the government’s emergency science advisory committee (Sage) is due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the level three restrictions.
Former Health Secretary and Chairman of the Commons Special Committee on Health Jeremy Hunt said the situation was “very serious” and could cause the government to change its policy on Christmas gatherings.
“If they don’t want to change the law, they could be much clearer on the advice they give people, and it’s clearly not recommended to mix households inside unless there is a very good reason, like a family member fearing it will be their last Christmas, ”he says.
Hunt said it was “difficult to judge” whether a new lockdown would be necessary in England and Scotland in the new year, describing transmission rates in the north of England as “cutting edge”.
“In the northeast and northwest, infection levels are increasing, but they are still much lower than they used to be,” he said. “The new strain doesn’t seem to have spread as much as it has in the south.”
However, he said the tier system would need to be reviewed if England were ready to reinstate it in the New Year.
“We need to rethink what’s going on in the lockdown. Sometimes, even when we call it a lockdown, it’s not enough to control the virus, ”he said.
“The most important thing now is that we are very close to the end. The kind of debates we had this summer about these freedom controls are really irrelevant now; by the end of February and March, we still hope that the majority of vulnerable people will have received the vaccine. We are really in the final phase of this battle.
Wales has announced new regulations starting on Christmas Eve amid the surge in cases this week, including the closure of non-essential shops, with hospitality venues to close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Day. On December 28, more stringent restrictions on household mixing, stay at home, vacation accommodation and travel will apply, under the new “level 4” restrictions.
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