"Based On Evidence": UK Defends Handling Of Variant 1st Detected In India

England and the devolved nations of Scotland and Wales will unlock parts of their economy on Monday but the future roadmap for reopening has been put in doubt over the more transmissible variant.

The British government on Sunday pushed back against criticism it was too slow to impose travel restrictions on India as a coronavirus variant identified in the subcontinent spreads in the UK. England and the devolved nations of Scotland and Wales will unlock parts of their economy on Monday but the future roadmap for reopening has been put in doubt over the more transmissible variant. Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News it was "completely wrong" to suggest the UK could have acted faster to designate India as a "red list" country meaning arriving travellers would have to quarantine in hotels. He explained that India was placed under the strict travel restrictions in April before the variant, known as B1.617.2, was under investigation.