New variants ‘very unlikely’ to stop great British summer, expert claims

New variants of Covid-19 are unlikely to stop Britain returning to normal this summer, an expert has claimed.

Professor Sharon Peacock, who heads the Covid-19 Genomics UK scientific body, told The Times that the UK was geared up to “stay ahead” of the virus.

She said that she was “very optimistic” that the highly successful vaccine rollout would allow restrictions to ease as planned.

There has been concern that the Brazilian and South African variants are more transmissible and more resistant to vaccines.

But Professor Peacock said these new variants showed no signs of surging and were unlikely to jeopardise the government’s road map out of lockdown.

“I think we have the capabilities to stay ahead by adapting vaccines and so I’m an optimist,” she told the paper.

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