The UK government's chief scientific adviser has suggested that coronavirus restrictions across the country could be tightened in the coming weeks. This follows a surge in cases of a new variant of the virus that is thought to be up to 70% more transmissible than the old strain. 'I think it is likely that this will grow in numbers of the variant across the country and I think it's likely, therefore, that measures will need to be increased in some places, in due course, not reduced,' Sir Patrick Vallance told a Downing Street press conference.
Calls for national lockdown in England to curb spread of new Covid strain