B.1.617.2 The emergence of variants of the coronavirus has led some scientists to call for the postponement of the reopening.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the country will speed up its COVID-19 vaccination program to try to contain a fast-spreading variant first discovered in India, which may put the reopening of the economy on track.

The UK provides one of the fastest vaccination campaigns in the world. Approximately 70% of the adult population was vaccinated for the first time and 36% of the adult population was vaccinated for the second time, helping to reduce infection rates and deaths.

He said at a press conference on Friday: “So it’s more important than ever for people to get the extra protection of the second dose.”

He said: “Therefore, according to the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, we will accelerate the remaining second dose of vaccine to those clinically vulnerable people in the 1950s and across the country, so these doses are only eight months after the first dose of vaccine. Week starts.”

The emergence of B.1.617.2 variants in parts of northern England and London has prompted some scientists to call for the postponement of reopening and reconsideration of the speed of vaccine rollout.

Johnson said at a press conference: “I believe we should trust our vaccines to protect the public, while closely monitoring the situation, because the competition between our vaccination program and the virus may become closer.”

The spread of this variant may disrupt Britain’s progress due to lock-in, making it more difficult to enter the final phase of the staggered reopening of the economy in June.

He said: “It is now obvious that we will have to live with this new variant of the virus for a while, so let us work hard together and exercise caution and common sense,” he said.

Johnson’s goal is to lift all restrictions on June 21, after allowing the British on Monday to hug again, meet indoors in small groups and travel abroad.

England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty said that he is now confident that the transmission capacity of B.1.617.2 is stronger than the mutation first discovered in Kent, which contributed to the second wave of infections in England. He said that B.1.617.2 may dominate the UK.

Public Health England said on Thursday that there were 1,313 cases of B.1.617.2 in the UK within a week, more than double the number of the previous week, and four of them had confirmed deaths.

Whitty said that so far, there has been no significant increase in the number of hospitalizations for this variant, which may be due to people who have received more vaccines.

But both Johnson and Whitty said it is still in its infancy, and scientists need to carefully examine the data in the next two to three weeks before they can really see the impact of this variant.

The United Kingdom listed India as a travel “red list” in April, which means that all immigrants from India-are now suffering worldwide. Worst wave COVID-19 costs-a 10-day quarantine fee must be paid in a government-approved hotel.

Media reports at the time indicated that because the quarantine requirements were announced four days in advance, many people sought to fly in advance. The UK has a large South Asian community.

Even with new variants, the government may want to avoid repeating the regional restrictions used last year, which ultimately failed to prevent two further national blockades.

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (ONS) on Friday, the infection rate remains low across the country and has fallen for the fifth consecutive week in England.

As coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions continue to ease, employees of Loxley’s Restaurant participated in a new tasting and training menu before reopening on Monday, May 17 [Reuters]