Whitty says risk of “escaped mutant” virus increases with pressure from more widespread vaccination programme (i.e. not giving second dose 3 weeks after first, but 12 weeks - to double numbers getting first dose of vaccine)
Says the risk of the escaped mutant is sufficiently small when weighed against the benefit of vaccinating twice as many people asap. Vallance says all vaccination programmes put pressure on virus, and mutations increase as numbers vaccinated increases
Vallance says this will lead to requirement for new vaccines down the road, as mutations increase. Says benefit of mRNA vaccines (like BioNTech and Moderna) is that they can be produce very fast in response to mutations
Johnson confirms UK will bring in Covid test requirement for travellers arriving in the UK by air - but gives no details on when etc
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London has the best medical services in the UK. Today the Mayor of London declared a "major incident" fearing the health service will be overwhelmed by a surge in Covid cases. He says the virus is out of control. In some parts of the city 1 in 20 are infected.
Sadiq Khan says he wants to see compulsory wearing of face masks, including outdoors
London Ambulance Service is taking up to 8,000 emergency calls a day, compared to 5,500 on a typical busy day.