According to the British government, the so-called delta variant of the coronavirus is 40 percent more contagious than the original form of the Covid 19 pathogen. The variant’s “growth advantage” is around 40 percent, according to findings by the Sage expert panel, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC on Sunday. The U.K. has recently seen a significant increase in corona infection cases again.
However, the number of hospitalizations is stable and mainly affects non-vaccinated people, Hancock said. The delta mutant first appeared in India and has recently increased its spread to the United Kingdom. As it stands now, all Corona measures are scheduled to be relaxed there on June 21. The delta variant makes it difficult to make predictions for June 21, Hancock acknowledged. “We’ll look at the data for another week and then make a decision,” he said. The government is “absolutely open” to postponing the easing, he said.
Those who are already fully vaccinated against coronavirus are also protected against the delta variant, based on current knowledge, Hancock said. According to him, about three-fifths of all adults in the United Kingdom should be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by June 21. So far, 52 percent of the U.K. population has received both shots needed for full immunization, according to the health minister.
The U.K. is the hardest hit country in Europe by the corona pandemic. Since the pandemic began, nearly 128,000 people there have died in connection with Covid-19.
- source: k.at/picture:pixabay.com
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