This is a very major concern. Why reducing community transmission is so important. The more virus circulating, under immune pressure, the more likely it is to mutate, evolve and change. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/12/18/exclusive-boris-johnson-handed-alarming-new-evidence-virulent/

Those changes could move virus in any epidemiological direction.Viral evolution could reduce transmission & virulence. But worry & early evidence, is changes lead to higher virus infections,more virus,higher transmission, higher r.Too early know change virulence & clinical impact

The new strain of Covid-19 is worrying & real cause for concern & extra caution. Research is ongoing to understand more, but acting urgently now is critical. There is no part of the UK & globally that should not be concerned. As in many countries, the situation is fragile.

It may feel harder during times we normally celebrate & enjoy with family and friends, but we must keep doing all we can to stay safe. The impact of increased interactions over the festive period is a huge concern as infections rise & possibility of a new variant.

The pace of global research has been phenomenal. We’ve made significant progress on the vaccines, treatments and diagnostics needed to end this crisis. But, while we celebrate this, we must be realistic. This pandemic is not over. We have still not changed the fundamentals.

It will take time for the first vaccines to have the impact needed. We must be prepared to respond fast to new and continued challenges now and as we move into 2021. There is still much to learn about Covid-19 and no time for complacency.

Failing to act decisively now, will mean further suffering. We must keep asking ourselves ‘are we doing enough, are we acting quickly enough"

We’ll only end this pandemic with a combination of safe and effective vaccines, tests and treatments, available to everyone, everywhere. Yet the @ACTAccelerator is still waiting on the $28bn urgently needed to make this a reality.

New variant a reminder of power of evolution. Virus is increasingly under immense immune pressure and will evolve. We have to reduce transmission to prevent hospitalisations & deaths. We also have to reduce transmission to reduce opportunity for virus to evolve & escape control

Since Jan2020 much of this pandemic has been very predictable, waves infection reverberating globally as behaviour changes are relaxed & our inability to change fundamentals through diagnostics, treatment, vaccines & health systems. We may be entering a less predictable phase.

We must remember, pay tribute all healthcare workers & global research community everywhere, working tirelessly on behalf of all of us. We owe them all our thanks & support & be willing to take every precaution until the tools needed to change fundamentals are equitably available

Government & Devolved Administrations absolutely right to act today. More transmission means more people need hospital care & tragically more loved ones dying. Also impacts all other health care. And it gives virus more chance to mutate & potentially evade treatments & vaccines