Virus cases continue to surge in Britain
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Health minister Sajid Javid said today that all workers in the National Health Service(NHS) would have to get vaccinated.
Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, the UK government on Tuesday reported over 33,000 COVID-19 cases along with 262 fatalities within 28 days of a patient testing positive.
UK health officials had informed earlier that they were studying the Delta strain of the coronavirus AY.4.2, which was "designated as a variant under investigation".
The new strain was detected in July even as Delta cases have continued to rise throughout the last month.
Health minister Sajid Javid said today that all workers in the National Health Service(NHS) would have to get vaccinated. Britain's health minister had warned earlier that infections could still rise to 100,000 a day during the winter.
However, the health minister had rejected calls to implement "Plan B" contingency measures instead he said vigilance would be increased while "preparing for all eventualities".
Britain is the hardest-hit country after the United States with the death toll climbing to over 142,2900 along with more than 9.2 million cases.
Reports say school children have been hit in the lastest outbreak amid slow pace of vaccination for kids.
Authorities had earlier given the go-ahead for COVID-19 booster shots. Britain has witnessed an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases since September even as the majority of the population has been vaccinated.
Boris Johnson's government had started the vaccination campaign last December ahead of several countries.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps had said last month that the UK would scrap the remaining countries from its "red list" allowing the flow of tourists into the country. However, Shapps added that the red list category will remain as a "precautionary measure" as countries may be added, "if needed".
(With inputs from Agencies)