Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced this week that a new Covid strain has been identified in the South East of England, where cases have been rising.
Cases have been rising sharply in areas such as London and Kent, with the capital due to enter tier 3 restrictions. As part of Public Health England‘s monitoring, more than 1,000 cases of the new variant were identified.
This news has led to people worrying about whether existing efforts to combat the virus will still be effective with the new variant, particularly in regards to the rollout of a vaccine. Public Health England and their partners are investigating further to see if the new Covid strain is more contagious, while it is not believed to be any more serious if you do contract it.
It is important to remember that it is common for viruses to mutate. The seasonal flu, for example, can mutate every year, meaning vaccines often have to be adapted. As such, potential mutation of COVID-19 has always been a consideration.
The same things that have been working against the original Coronavirus strain, such as sanitisation, will continue to work for the new strain. As such, it is essential to keep up everything we’ve been doing throughout the pandemic, such as washing hands and wearing face masks, as these will be no less effective against the new strain.
Covid Safe UK offer a range of products to product your employees and customers against viruses, ranging from PPE, hand sanitiser and safety screens through to sanitising foggers and tunnels. If you’d like to find out more about our Covid Safety solutions, get in touch with the team today.
