The Indian Variant: keeping safe while moving to restore our freedoms

As the Prime Minister has said, there is no evidence to suggest tomorrow’s easing of lockdown in England cannot go ahead, but everyone must exercise the greatest caution because the choices each of us makes have an effect on the road ahead.

  • We all want to make sure that we keep the public safe and keep the roadmap to freedom on track in ways which don't interfere with that.
     
  • The UK government took precautionary action to ban travel from India on 23 April, six days before this variant was put under investigation and two weeks before it was labelled as of concern. Prior to India being placed on the red list in April, anyone coming to the UK had to test negative and quarantine for 10 days.
     
  • In recent days we have seen continued spread of the variant of concern that first originated in India, with clusters in Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen, and some other parts of the UK - and we believe this variant to be more transmissible.

 

  • That is why the government is supporting targeted new activity to accelerate vaccine uptake amongst eligible cohorts and introducing additional surge testing for residents to contain cases of the B1.617.2 variant.
     
  • For everyone across the country, we must redouble our efforts, get tested, get a jab if eligible, and exercise caution and common sense.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Here we go again
10:40 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
This isn't the first new variant we have seen and it will not be the last.

Which is why we all need to be careful.

If we are, there is every chance that the next stage of relaxation of lockdown can proceed in June.
2:12 pm
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