Boris Johnson has said there is “some evidence” the
new variant of coronavirus is more deadly than the old one.
But there appears to be increasing confidence that it will be susceptible to vaccines.
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, the prime minister said: “We have been informed today that in addition to spreading more quickly it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant... may be associated with a higher degree of mortality.”
The government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said it appears that among those in their 60s who test positive for COVID-19, 13 or 14 people in 1,000 would die compared to 10 in 1,000 in previous variants.
However, he stressed the evidence was not yet strong, and when pressed on a paper about the new variant reportedly suggesting a 91% increase in mortality, he said: “Some of them suggested no increase in mortality at all... there’s also data from hospitals showing there’s no difference in outcome in patients in hospital”.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty, there’s a lot more work that needs to go on – I really urge against just picking the highest number and assuming that’s correct. I don’t think that’s the case at all.”
It also increasingly appears the variant “will be susceptible to the vaccines”, Sir Patrick also said.
He added that people who have had been infected with
coronavirus previously and generated antibodies appear to be equally protected against the original virus and the new variant.
Less is known about the transmissibility of the Brazil and South Africa variants, but there is concern they have features which could make them less susceptible to vaccines, Sir Patrick said.
The UK one appears to be between 30% and 70% more transmissible, but it is not understood why, the scientist added.
Fears that it was driving a surge in UK cases ultimately led to school closures and
the introduction of Tier 4 measures in England, as well as Christmas visits being cancelled in many parts of the country.
Worries about the variant were on display
when Boris Johnson said earlier this week: “I’ve got to tell you… there will be more to come because what we’re seeing is the result of the wave of the new variant that we saw just before Christmas on 18 December, or thereabouts.”
He said he acted the day after being given advice on 18 December, despite Labour leader
Sir Keir Starmer accusing him of “sitting on his hands”.
