European countries ban UK travelers in a bid to embrace a new mutation, which is 70 per cent more contagious and rips through London.
Viruses change all the time. Seasonal flu moves every year, so it came as no surprise to scientists that variants of COVID-19 have been detected since the pandemic began.
But in recent days, concerns have grown about a new strain identified in the UK.
Vaccines should still be effective against it and the new snoring is not believed to be more deadly, but people are becoming increasingly anxious as this mutation appears to be 70 per cent more contagious.
The new variant, dubbed VUI-202012/01 (the first Variant Under Investigation in December 2020), is expected to have occurred in mid-September in the southeast of the country, in a major the city of London or Kent county.
Susan Hopkins from Public Health England said the group contacted the government on December 18 when modeling revealed the severity of the new pressure. The UK sent its findings to the World Health Organization the same day.
Since then it has spread rapidly in the southeast, and has been the main strain of the virus there.
In London, 62 per cent of cases were due to the new change in the week of December 9. That compares with 28 per cent three weeks earlier.
In response to this rapid development, the UK government has moved to implement stricter locking measures over the coming Christmas period.
Earlier, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had promised to allow people to meet for receptions. But amid growing criticism and advice from his scientific advisers, many Britons are now barred from mixing homes until at least the end of December, when the new measures are reviewed. .
Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, said the new variant may be available in other countries as well but may have started in the UK.
The Netherlands and Belgium responded swiftly, banning UK travelers in a bid to stem the new pressure from spreading.
Dutch authorities said they had found at least one case of the new snoring and flights carrying UK passengers were banned until January 1. Belgium suspends flights and trains came from the UK for at least 24 hours, according to Prime Minister Alexander De Croo who spoke to Belgian television channel VRT.
According to UL Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, routine swab testing is able to identify the new variant.
Scientists say there are 23 changes in the new snout, many of which are related to changes in proteins produced by the virus.
UK Health Minister Matt Hancock has said the new locking measures could remain in place for some time.
“As soon as this new variant spreads, it will be very difficult to control until our vaccine is released,” said Hancock.
The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, said on Twitter that mutant-type cases were lower in Scotland “than in the rest of the UK,” but warned that “protective measures may be needed to stop the spread that is spreading faster. ”
More than 67,000 people have died from COVID-19 to date in the UK, making it one of the worst to hit Europe along with Italy.