Urgent warning against leaving home in UK areas hit by South African strain

2 February, 2021 | Filed under: All News,more news,Opinion,RECENT POSTS,Somali news | Posted by:

Residents in areas where the South African Covid variant has been transmitted should ‘think again’ before deciding to leave the house, a minister has said. Ealing, Haringey, Mitcham, Walsall, Broxbourne, Maidstone, Woking and Southport are currently considered to be hotspots for the South African strain, which is more infectious than other variants. Speaking to Sky News this morning, Michelle Donelan described the UK as at a ‘perilous’ stage of the pandemic and urged residents within the eight postcodes to take extra caution when leaving their homes. She went on: ‘The message is “think again” just before you go about activities, even for those activities that are within the rules such as essential shopping.

A public health information message is seen on a footpath in West Ealing as the South African variant of the novel coronavirus is reported in parts of the United Kingdom amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, February 1, 2021. REUTERS/Toby Melville
Residents of at-risk areas have been asked to ‘think again’ before heading outside (Picture: Reuters)

A man takes a swab at a test centre in Goldsworth Park, as the South African variant of the novel coronavirus is reported in parts of Surrey, in Woking, Britain, February 1, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
The government is rolling out a new Covid testing regime (Picture: Reuters)

More than 100 cases of the South African variant have been uncovered in the UK, of which 11 had no links to international travel, the government said this week. The strain is not believed to be more deadly than other variations of the virus. Door-to-door testing is now being rolled out across at-risk areas and is expected to reach around 80,000 people. Each resident visited will be requested to take a PCR Covid test, which provides results on the same day.

Public Health England (PHE) is also studying whether those who have already had the vaccine will need a booster shot ‘a bit like the annual flu vaccine’ to help protect them against Covid-19 mutations. SAGE member Professor Andrew Hayward, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology, said the South African strain had been identified in at least 30 countries around the world including Europe, America, and other parts of Africa.

A worker collects a swab from a car window at a test centre in Goldsworth Park, as the South African variant of the novel coronavirus is reported in parts of Surrey, in Woking, Britain, February 1, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Around 80,000 people will be tested on their doorsteps (Picture: Reuters)

 

On the effectiveness of vaccines against a more deadly strain, he noted that they could be expected ‘to still be very worthwhile and very good at preventing severe disease’. He went on: ‘Of course we’ve got a lot staked on the effects of these vaccines, and that’s why I think it’s really appropriate to take every measure that we can to try and stop the emergence of the strain.

’ On Monday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was ‘vital’ the UK do everything they can to stop the transmission of the South African strain. He went on: ‘It’s a big effort getting this new variant… essentially finding every single case of it, that is the goal.’ He added: ‘The best way to stop the spread of the virus – including new variants – is to stay at home and follow the restrictions in place. Until more people are vaccinated, this is the only way we will control the spread of the virus.’

 

 

Source:metro.co.uk/2021/02/02