PM to send army to Indian Covid variant hotspots to assist with surge testing

The Prime Minister will deploy the army to Indian Covid variant hotspots to assist with surge testing, amid fears the strain could be 50 per cent more transmissible.

Soldiers will be sent to parts of North West England, where most of the cases are concentrated, and there will be “targeted new activity” in Bolton and Blackburn to accelerate the vaccine rollout, Boris Johnson said.

PM urges extra caution

Surge testing is already under way in the region in an effort to get cases under control and prevent any further spread.

The ‘variant of concern’ has also been detected in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Sefton in Merseyside, Tyneside, Newcastle and Glasgow.

The latest data from Public Health England (PHE) shows that the number of cases of the India variant in the UK has increased from 520 last week to more than 1,300 this week.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday (15 May), Boris Johnson warned those living in Bolton and other affected areas that “there is now a greater risk from this new variant” and urged people to be “extra cautious”.

Mr Johnson said Colonel Russ Miller, Commander of the North West Region, will be “deployed to support local leaders in managing the response on the ground”.

He told the press conference: “There will be surge testing, with mobile testing units, and the army will be on the streets handing out tests.

“And there will be targeted new activity in Bolton and Blackburn to accelerate vaccine take-up among eligible cohorts – including longer opening hours at vaccination sites.”