TEN million Brits could get an urgent second vaccine dose to hold back the Indian variant after cases doubled in a week.
Ministers are set to slash the gap between first and second Covid vaccine doses for vulnerable Brits amid growing alarm at the spread of the Indian variant.
People queue outside a mobile vaccination centre at Bolton's Essa Academy, after a spike in the Indian variant was detected in the BL3 postcode.
THERE have been at least four deaths of the Indian Covid variant since its emergence in the UK, new data reveals.
It’s not thought the variant can cause more severe disease. But it's high transmissibility can ultimately lead to more deaths.
The Indian variant B.1.617.2 only cropped up in the UK on April 10.
For comparison, the South African variant has been in circulation since mid-December, and has caused 12 deaths.
It has been detected at least 1,255 times in England (1,313 in the UK) up until May 5 - double the number a week prior.
Cases are most prevalent in London and the North West, Public Health England (PHE) revealed today.
Bolton has been highlighted as a hotspot in recent days leading to a testing blitz, along with Sefton and Blackburn.
There is evidence it can reinfect people who have immunity against Covid from prior infection - but PHE said this is “expected with any prevalent variant”.
PHE said the variant "displays an increased growth rate", suggesting it can spread faster than the Kent strain - an advantage scientists have feared.
The Kent variant threw England into a third lockdown. And although vaccines have put the UK into a much better position, there are still millions unvaccinated.
It comes amid mounting pressure on Boris to delay the easing of lockdown restrictions to manage the Indian variant.
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Millions set to get urgent second Covid vaccine dose to slow Indian variant after cases double
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