New evidence gives a "high degree of confidence" that coronavirus vaccines work against the Indian variant, UK Minister for Health Matt Hancock has said but did not rule out a return to local lockdowns to stem resurgences.
Mr Hancock said that it is "appropriate" to push on with the major easing of lockdown in England tomorrow despite warnings from scientists and medics.
But he warned the highly transmissible variant could "spread like wildfire among the unvaccinated groups" as he urged people to come forward for jabs when eligible.
Mr Hancock was also forced to defend the government against criticism it acted too late in imposing heightened border restrictions for travel from India.