As mutated variant spreads, PM Johnson mulls stricter lockdown

The British government will review its Covid-19 restrictions on Wednesday to decide if it needs to impose stricter measures on more parts of England after a highly infectious mutated variant swept across the country, a minister said.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said the rules were unlikely to change before Christmas but he said the government's committee would meet on Wednesday to decide what further action needed to be taken.

“We don't have an immediate plan to take action but the number of cases is rising and the variant is spreading to other parts of the country so we will see if it's necessary to do more,” he told BBC TV.