Rapid spread of coronavirus variants could necessitate the reimposition of lockdown measures, a scientist advising the Government said.
Professor Peter Openshaw said his fellow scientists were “very concerned” after a cluster of cases of the South African coronavirus variant were found in London.
Huge lines formed outside Lambeth Town Hall yesterday as people queued for surge testing. Boris Johnson has warned that the easing of lockdown restrictions will “inevitably” lead to more Covid cases and deaths.
Elsewhere, a study looking at whether the Oxford/Astrazeneca and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines can be safely mixed for the first and second doses will be expanded to include two additional jabs.
Researchers running the Com-Cov study, launched in February to investigate alternating doses of the first two jabs to be rolled out across the UK, have announced the programme will be extended to include the Moderna and Novavax vaccines.
This is being overseen by Professor Matthew Snape, associate professor in paediatrics and vaccinology at the University of Oxford.
