Patrick Vallance speaks at COVID-19 press briefing

The video discusses a new virus variant, focusing on its increased transmissibility. It examines three key questions: the variant's transmission rate, its impact on disease severity, and its effect on the immune response. Evidence from genetic, frequency, and laboratory studies suggests the variant spreads faster and is becoming dominant. However, there is no current evidence that it causes more severe disease or increased hospitalization.

What are the three key questions that need to be asked regarding the new virus variant?

What evidence suggests that the new variant has increased transmissibility?

What percentage of cases in London were attributed to the new variant by the week of December 9th?

How does the new variant compare to other variants in terms of transmission?

Does the new variant cause more severe disease compared to previous variants?