B.1.617 COVID-19 variant can cause big problem in easing of UK's lockdown process: Expert

The B.1.617 variant of the COVID-19 could become a big problem in Britain's plans to further ease lockdown restrictions, a senior academician associated with the prestigious Cambridge University has warned.

Prof Tim Gowers, who is with the Mathematics department of Cambridge University, told The Guardian on Saturday that the UK's fight against coronavirus could turn bad "very, very quickly" unless the government acts cautiously on easing lockdown further.

The B.1.617 strain could cause big problems if not taken care of properly, Gowers said.


Meanwhile, the B.1.617 variant cases doubled in a week in England to almost 7,000, prompting concerns that the government's lockdown roadmap will be derailed.

The roadmap is expected to see all legal limits on social contact to be removed on June 21.

It is understood that a final decision on the planned easing of lockdown will not be made until June 14.

More than 38.8 million people, or more than 70 per cent of adults in Britain, have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures.

The UK's overall Covid-19 caseload and death toll currently stood at 4,496,823 and 128,037, respectively.