Scientists urged to expedite Indian variant analysis amid travel ban calls
British scientists must urgently learn as much as possible about the Indian Covid-19 variant, a leading epidemiologist has warned, as calls mount for the country to be added to the Government’s “red list”.
Mike Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-M), which provides evidence on coronavirus to the Government’s Sage committee, said as much information about the new variant must be gathered “as quickly as possible”.
But while confirming that there are “around 70 cases” of the new Indian variant in the UK, George Eustice defended the Government’s decision not to further restrict travel to the country. He added that the situation is being kept “under regular review”.
Amid growing fears that the new strain could delay the Government’s lockdown eas...