Massive Effort To Halt New Variant Won't Slow Route Out Of Lockdown

A “Massive effort” is underway to prevent new coronavirus variants from spreading, Boris Johnson said yesterday.

- Martyn Brown and Michael Knowles

The Prime Minister vowed rapid action is being taken following the detection of the Brazilian version of Covid in the UK.

But the alarming discovery will not slow his roadmap out of lockdown. Schools will reopen as planned next week, he insisted.

Six cases of the P1 variant first detected in the Amazonian city of Manaus have now been confirmed here – three in England and three in Scotland.

Two have been tracked to South Gloucestershire, but the third English case has not been located.

It could be anywhere because the infected person failed to fill in personal details when they were tested, it was said.

The Royal Mail is being drafted in to help find the mystery individual.

Experts believe the Brazilian variant can avoid existing antibodies to some degree, potentially raising questions about the effectiveness of current jabs.

But Mr Johnson sought to reassure the public while on a visit to a school in Tunstall, Staffordshire, insisting the country should have confidence in the vaccines.

He said: “We have no reason not to think our vaccines are effective against these variants of concern. At the present time people should take that as some evidence of confidence.