Photo Source: Matt Hancock (Twitter account)
Unsure whether our vaccines are effective against COVID-19 variant found in India: UK (Watch video)
New Delhi, April 20, 2021: Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, UK Government said that he is not sure whether the UK’s vaccination program will be effective against the COVID-19 variant, found in India.
The statement was made in the response to the question asked by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the Labour MP from Slough on the effectiveness of the UK’s COVID-19 vaccine on India’s new variant.
“We simply don’t know that. We are acting on a precautionary basis because I can’t give him that assurance. Of course, we are looking into that question. But that is the core of my concern that about the variant first found in India is that the vaccine may be less effective, in terms of transmission and or in terms of reducing hospitalization and death. It is the same concern we have that with the variant first found in South Africa,” British Health Secretary said.
Pertinently, India has been placed on the Red List for travel, and the Prime Minister Boris Johnson canceling his trip to the country last week.
“The Prime Minister canceled his India trip and Government just announced that India has been placed on its travel Red List, amid a devastating surge in Covid cases there. But Health Secretary is still unsure if our vaccines are effective against the new double mutation variant detected there,” said Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi.