Covid UK news LIVE Over 70s URGED to chase coronavirus vaccine slots as Brits told too early to book summe – The Sun

VAN TAM: ONLY SMALL NUMBERS OF SOUTH AFRICA VARIANT PRESENT IN THE UK

Asked about keeping the variant suppressed, Mr Van Tamsaid: "We have small numbers of the South African variant in the UK at the present time.

"And as I've said, I'm not seeing, and the early modelling data do not suggest, a transmissibility advantage for this virus.

"So, that being the case, it's not going to kind of overrun or overtake the current B1.1.7 virus in the next few months, or that is the most likely scenario, that it won't happen.

"I don't think that this is something that we should be concerned about right at this point in time, and I agree with you that the stories and the headlines around variant viruses and vaccines are a bit scary. And I wish they weren't."

Prof Van-Tam said his work recently had been "thinking over the horizon" on preparations for a "a long-term resilient vaccine-orientated solution", adding: "And that includes the potential for variant vaccines for the autumn."

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Covid UK news LIVE Over 70s URGED to chase coronavirus vaccine slots as Brits told too early to book summe - The Sun