Boris Johnson insists ‘no reason’ to delay lockdown lifting roadmap despite Indian Covid variant spreading rapidly in UK

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BORIS Johnson has said Britain remains on track to lift lockdown despite fears of a new variant.

The Prime Minister today stressed the Government will follow the science but saw no reason to delay his roadmap.

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BORIS Johnson has said Britain remains on track to lift lockdown despite fears of a new variant

Hailing the vaccine rollout on a victory lap in Hartlepool, he said: “It’s been very important for our country we’ve been able to get through Covid as fast as we can.

“We have to always bear in mind this thing isn’t over, the epidemiology is very encouraging at the moment but we have to continue to be cautious and we will continue with the cautious but irreversible steps of the roadmap.

“I can’t see anything now to delay any of the steps we’ve got ahead of us, and that’s going to be our programme in accordance with the scientific evidence.”

The next stage of lockdown easing is due to happen on May 17 when groups of six can mix indoors.

There were fears this waypoint may be blown off course by a new Indian strain of coronavirus detected in England.

Public Health England today declared the mutation known as B1617.2 a “variant of concern”.

Today the Covid R-rate of infection was estimated to be between 0.8-1, meaning the virus is not growing.