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UK daily Covid cases highest in 5 weeks as they pass pass 50,000 & 160 deaths amid fears of new lockdown over new strain
THE UK's daily Covid case total is the highest in FIVE WEEKS amid fears of ANOTHER lockdown over a new coronavirus strain.
A further 50,091 people tested positive today - the biggest figure seen since October 21, when 52,009 cases were recorded.
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And the UK's death toll has soared too, as a 160 more fatalities are seen.
It comes as an expert claimed Brits should be ready for fresh coronavirus restrictions to come into force after a new variant emerged.
The variant, scientifically called B.1.1.529, has not yet been confirmed in the UK as of yet.
It is the most evolved so far with 32 mutations, and could be worse than Delta, experts have warned.
The variant has only been found in three countries so far - but its power has sparked a sudden ban on flights from six nations to the UK.
Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said more needs to be learned about the new variant.
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Speaking on Good Morning Britain this morning, Prof Finn said the virus needed to be assessed in terms of risk and added that restrictions could not be ruled out.
Britain has been relatively restriction free since the summer when the last set of constraints were lifted on the country.
Last winter, tiers were in place to prevent the spread of the virus and many Brits were unable to spend Christmas with their loved ones due to restrictions.
Prof Finn said: "On the one hand, I don’t want to induce unnecessary anxiety in people, but on the other hand, I think we all need to be ready for the possibility of a change in the restrictions."
He explained that it was too hard to say if the new variant could impact Christmas plans for Brits.
Prof Finn said that the surge of cases in South Africa could be linked to the variant's transmissibility.
“If we’re lucky, it won’t be a serious one, but it could be very serious", he added.
A No10 spokesman said there's "nothing in our current data to suggest that we need to move to Plan B".
Professor Lawrence Young said: "This new variant is currently detected at relatively low levels in parts of South Africa but it looks like it’s spreading rapidly.
"It’s clear from the concerns about this variant and from what’s going on in other parts of Europe that we need to be cautious in the run up to Christmas.
"Increasing the uptake of vaccines, encouraging more widespread use of face coverings and restricting large gatherings in poorly ventilated spaces are important approaches to protect the population, ensure that health services are not overwhelmed and that Christmas festivities are not disrupted."
But England's chief medical officer has said his "greatest worry" is whether the public would accept fresh restrictions in the face of a new Covid-19 variant.
Professor Chris Whitty told a panel discussion hosted by the Local Government Association that he worried whether the Government could still "take people with us".
"My greatest worry at the moment is that people... if we need to do something more muscular at some point, whether it's for the current new variant or at some later stage, can we still take people with us?" Prof Whitty said.
He admitted that some of the changes the public has had to make have been "very destructive"; to society and the economy.
However, despite his worries, the chief medical officer struck a positive note, saying he believed the Government will be able to maintain public support for coronavirus measures.
"I think the extraordinary thing has been the ability of the UK population, with very, very small exceptions, to just accept that there are things we collectively have to do to protect one another and do collectively, including things that have been very destructive to social and economic situations for individuals and families," he said.
"Obviously, we want to avoid having to do those at all if we can, and to do the minimum ones necessary, but will we be able to maintain public support?
"And I think my overall view is, I think we will.
"Provided you are clear with people what the logic is, provided they feel that we're being entirely straight with them as to all the data... but I think that's always a worry."
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Prof Whitty added that the longer the pandemic goes on, the harder it is to know what the public's response will be.
"It's easier to be confident of people's response right at the beginning than it is after people put up with two years of their lives being interfered with."
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