I don't normally consider myself a conspiracy theorist, but can anybody point me at an actual scientist prepared to confirm the "up to 70% more contagious" thing we keep hearing about the new #covid19 strain? I'm asking cos I genuinely can't find any individual or institution!

If all this turns out to be an overblown case of covering government blushes that backfired internationally... Well, I can't even. Until a real scientist confirms this, I can't shake the feeling it's Boris trying to not be seen as "the guy who cancelled Christmas".

I sincerely hope not, that would be beyond despicable. It's just all a bit weird right now. I'm not seeing any sources for data, just scientists seemingly a mix of concerned and puzzled, and media trotting out this 70% number with attribution.

This seems to be the best the British government can do. There's a lot of "don't know" and arm-waving about "modelling"... https://www.gov.uk/government/news/covid-19-sars-cov-2-information-about-the-new-virus-variant

I mean they talk about Kent but if you look at photos & news around the start of November in Kent, pubs & restaurants open, almost no mask wearing (at a time when, for example, mask wearing had been obligatory here for a month & we were already locked down). Surprise, really?