Test and Trace error fuelled Indian variant’s spread in hotspot Blackburn

Failures in the Government’s Test and Trace programme helped fuel the spread of the Indian Covid variant in Blackburn with Darwen, a report has claimed.  The centralised system failed to notify contact tracers in the Lancashire authority of 164 positive cases in late April and early May.   At that point the mutant B.1.617.2 strain was just … Read more

Test and Trace error fuelled Indian variant’s spread in hotspot Blackburn

Failures in the Government’s Test and Trace programme helped fuel the spread of the Indian Covid variant in Blackburn with Darwen, a report has claimed.  The centralised system failed to notify contact tracers in the Lancashire authority of 164 positive cases in late April and early May.   At that point the mutant B.1.617.2 strain was just … Read more

DAN WOOTTON: Covid variants are going to be a fact of life for years

‘The general rule over human history is that once powers are yielded to the state at moments of crisis or emergency, it’s never the case – or very very, rarely the case – that the state hands them back.’ The words of Michael Gove in 2009 as he railed against Tony Blair’s failed attempt to … Read more

CDC chief is worried four variants of global concern could set the US back on road to recovery 

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that coronavirus variants could set the U.S. back on the road to recovery. Testifying on Tuesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on national efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Rochelle Walensky said she was happy to see case … Read more

Matt Hancock warns rise of new Covid variants poses ‘biggest risk’ to ending lockdown on June 21

A new coronavirus variant that bypasses vaccines would pose the ‘biggest risk’ to lockdown-ending plans next month, Matt Hancock warned today.  The health secretary said the only thing that would prevent Britain from returning to normal on June 21 would be the emergence of a mutant strain that makes vaccinated people severely ill.  The Indian variant … Read more

Matt Hancock warns rise of new Covid variants poses ‘biggest risk’ to ending lockdown on June 21

Matt Hancock warns rise of new Covid variants poses ‘biggest risk’ to ending lockdown on June 21 – but says there is NO evidence vaccines don’t work against Indian and other troubling strains spreading in Britain Cases of the Indian variant – B.1.617.2 – in Britain have risen tenfold in a month PHE has classed it … Read more

UK is in a ‘very good position’ against Covid variants

Britain is in a ‘very good position’ against coronavirus variants, researchers insisted today as Pfizer claimed there is no proof its current jab needs to be updated to fight mutant strains. Public Health England data shows variant cases have remained low in recent weeks, despite a spike in infections triggered by the Indian B.1.617.2 strain.  But … Read more

UK is in a ‘very good position’ against Covid variants

Britain is in a ‘very good position’ against coronavirus variants, experts said today, as Pfizer revealed its current jab does not need to be updated. Public Health England data shows variant cases have remained low in recent weeks, with a substantial rise only registered for one type of the Indian variant (B.1.617.2). But Professor Sharon … Read more