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South African variant of Covid cannot be kept out of UK for ever, Neil Ferguson warns

Senior scientific adviser says some countries are seeing a ‘significant fraction’ of cases with the variant
The UK will not be able to keep the South African variant at bay for ever, a senior scientific adviser has warned.
Prof Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, said a small but growing percentage of cases in some countries were of the South African variant, which may be resistant to some vaccines according to early studies.
France is entering a new four-week lockdown as it faces a third wave of the virus, driven in large part by the Kent variant.
Ferguson said a group of European countries were seeing increasing levels of cases, and although they were in large part due to the Kent variant, there were also growing numbers of the South African variant.
“Perhaps more concern for the UK though is that some countries are notably seeing a significant fraction, 5-10% of cases, of the South African variant,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“When infection levels go up in France – 30,000 cases a day – that implies there’s at least 1,500-2,000 cases a day of the South African variant. That is the variant we really do want to keep out of the UK.
“We won’t be able to keep it out for ever … but the longer we can keep it out, the longer we can keep it at least at low levels in the UK, the more time we have to vaccinate the whole adult population and to update vaccines, to be able to cope with that.”
Experts have said that large parts of Europe are at the start of a third coronavirus wave. Italy, France, Germany and several other countries which had paused the administration of AstraZeneca jabs are due to resume from Friday after Europe’s medicines regulator said the vaccine was “safe and effective” and its benefits outweighed its risks.
At the start of February researchers confirmed that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine would not stop people becoming ill if they contract the South African variant of Covid-19.
The small study in 2,000 people aged 31, who are less likely to become severely ill, adds to evidence from big trials of other vaccines carried out after the variant appeared in South Africa. Trial data from the Janssen and Novavax vaccines showed efficacy in South Africa was up to 60% against the variant, substantially lower than against the original virus.
Ferguson said the delay in vaccine supply in the UK was “slightly disappointing”, but would not have a big effect on the vaccine rollout.
“I don’t think the delay will have an enormous effect. We’ll still have enough vaccine to largely continue with the programme.”
He added: “Overall, I’m optimistic with this one caveat that we do need to keep these variants of concern at bay.
“Until we can update the vaccine, roll out the vaccine and really hopefully the whole adult population, which will be this summer, at that point we’ll be in a much safer position.”
source: Alexandra Topping
Levant
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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