The new Covid variant that has been sweeping South Africa and massively out-competing other variants has hit the UK.
Two cases have been confirmed so far, but with transmissibility up to 500% higher than in other variants and mutations that scientists fear can evade existing immunity, it is capable of spreading rapidly. Epidemiologists have noted with alarm that its ability to spread is unprecedented among variants seen so far.
Despite the obvious dangers of rapid growth and reduced vaccine effectiveness, the government has indicated it has no interest in further lockdowns and Labour is again showing no opposition.
The rapid emergence of new variants has been blamed on the ‘vaccine apartheid’ of developed countries and their slowness to prevent the spread of Covid in poorer countries. UK government policy to allow the virus to grow unchecked in this country has also seen new forms of the virus emerge here.
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