Matt Hancock Admits To ‘Uncertainty’ Over New Covid Variant

MATT Hancock admits to ‘uncertainty’ over whether the new Covid variant is more dangerous

The UK government has once again been accused of “scaremongering” in its response to the new mutant Covid variant which is sweeping through the country. While it was claimed at a press conference in Downing Street on Friday night, January 22, that the mutation could be 30 per cent more deadly than the original virus, the health secretary has now revealed that he’s just not sure if this is the case.

Speaking on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge programme, Mr Hancock said that there are “uncertainties” about whether the variant is more dangerous, but insisted that this is the “nature of science.”

“The scientists do think it may be more deadly. They have put various estimates…,” Mr Hancock said.

“There are uncertainties on that. That is the nature of science… the vast majority of the public understand that.

“There is a risk the new variant is more deadly. We know it is more transmissible,” he said.

Public Health England medical director Dr Yvonne Doyle said it is not ‘absolutely clear’ if the mutation is more deadly and that further study is needed to establish the true nature of the strain.

According to figures released by Public Health England, the UK registered 813 Covid-related deaths on Saturday, January 23 – a ten per cent decrease compared with the same day last week. The data shows that a total of 65,814 people have now lost their lives to coronavirus in Britain since the beginning of the pandemic.

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