Boris Johnson says lockdown will be eased in ‘stages’ - but refuses to give more details
Research has found the UK variant of the coronavirus appears to linger far longer in the body than other versions of the virus, potentially calling into question the government’s current self-isolating protocol.
Scientists from American universities, including Harvard and Yale, have discovered it takes the immune system almost 30 per cent longer to clear infection caused by the variant first detected in Kent, which is now dominant in the British population.
Separate research from Public Health England and the University of Birmingham has also shown the UK variant generates higher viral loads in people.
These two factors may explain the variant’s higher infectivity and widespread prevalence across the UK.
Boris Johnson has stressed he will be taking a “cautious and prudent approach” to easing lockdown restrictions, suggesting pubs and restaurants will be among the last parts of society to reopen this time.
The prime minister is being urged to focus on “data, not just dates” and to not relax restrictions “prematurely”.
