Hancock grilled over Brazil variant by Kuenssberg

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Brazil’s Covid variant has raised concerns in the UK as officials hunt a single case that escaped local tracking. The variant, known as P1, is feared to have vaccine-trumping mutations, escaped into the community without before trackers told the carrier to self-isolate. As such, some people may question whether the Government’s current roadmap is under threat.

Has the Government changed its roadmap?

Boris Johnson announced the Government’s roadmap last week, stating society could return to relative “normality” by the summer.

The first step on this path will see ministers social contact rules on March 8, allowing two people to meet for a drink or food outside.

Schools will also return, and early indications from the Government suggest it will stick to these plans.

Reporters quizzed him about the variant news during a visit to a school in Stoke-on-Trent today.

Speaking to reporters, the Prime Minister said his Government has “set our hearts on” opening schools next Monday.

He said: “I think we are going at the right pace, education is the priority.

“Getting all schools open on March 8 is something that we have set our hearts on for a long time, and I am confident we will be ready.”

Mr Johnson’s spokesman confirmed as such, stating schools in South Gloucestershire where variant cases had emerged would open as well.

Primary schools will open first, followed by the staggered return of secondary in line with surge tests.

The spokesman said: “Schools will reopen on March 8 as we set out in the roadmap.

“We’ve deployed surge testing now in South Gloucestershire to ensure we can identify and isolate any more cases of this variant.”

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He added: “You’ve got what we’ve said about the importance of children going back to school.

“Schools will reopen next week on March 8 and it’s important we get kids back.”

The Prime Minister insisted the UK had “one of the toughest border regimes anywhere in the world”, which will hold back further variant cases.

However, experts have disputed this claim, stating British border policy doesn’t compare favourably to other countries.

The UK’s quarantine hotel policy, which ministers implemented on February 15, trailed behind other countries.

Several nations, namely New Zealand and Hong Kong, tightened their border controls in early 2020.

New Zealand tightened its borders, only allowing citizens and residents to enter.

While the UK has several countries on its “red list”, mainly from around Africa, but doesn’t include other high-risk nations such as the US.

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