UK signals 'increasing confidence' vaccines can beat Indian variant

LONDON

There is growing confidence that the vaccines used to fight coronavirus are effective against all variants, Britain’s prime minister said Wednesday.

"We've looked at the data again this morning and I can tell the House [of Commons] we have increasing confidence that vaccines are effective against all variants, including the Indian variant," Boris Johnson said.

Johnson’s remarks came amid growing concern in the UK about cases with the Indian variant, taking questions in the House of Commons. There are now 2,967 cases of the variant recorded in the country, according to official figures Monday.

Johnson said they will know a lot more in a few days' time and "keep people informed" and "continually updated".

Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned last weekend that the Indian variant could “spread like wildfire” among the unvaccinated, urging people to get their jabs.

He had said there is a “high degree of confidence” that existing vaccines work well against the new variant, but those who are eligible for vaccination have to get the shot to protect themselves and the country.

Bolton and Blackburn, towns in the northwest of England, are where the Indian variant is taking the deepest hold.

Hancock said that in Bolton, the “vast majority” of those hospitalized with the variant are people eligible for the vaccine but have yet to get it.

The government also announced Wednesday that more than 70% of adults in the country have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 40% have gotten two doses.

According to the latest official figures, 127,691 people in the UK have died of coronavirus.