Covid-19: Surge testing and jabs expanded, as EU looks to open up

Surge testing and jabs will be expanded to six new areas of concern in England to combat the spread of the Indian Covid variant, the health secretary has said. They are Bedford, Burnley, Hounslow, Kirklees, Leicester and North Tyneside. The Scottish authorities are taking similar action in Glasgow and Moray. There have now been 2,967 cases of the variant identified in the UK, Matt Hancock said – up from about 2,300 on Monday. He added that of 25 people in hospital in Bolton with Covid, the majority are totally unvaccinated and 90% have not yet had two vaccine doses. Earlier, the prime minister said there was “increasing confidence” that Covid-19 vaccines are effective against all variants, including the Indian.

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