UK on alert for new versions of highly contagious Delta variant
July 27, 2021, 5:18 am

UK on alert for new versions of highly contagious Delta variant

London Underground

According to the Russian website RT, Britain’s chief Covid-19 genome sequencing expert has said surveillance for new variants and international co-ordination must be a priority going forward, adding that the UK is on alert for any mutations of the Delta variant.

Speaking to Reuters on Monday, Sharon Peacock, chair of the Covid-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium, said that the path back to “business as usual” will be a long one, especially as new variants of the deadly virus emerge.

Peacock noted that the uneven deployment of vaccines around the world was likely to prolong the return to pre-pandemic norms.

She noted, “i see that as quite a long journey. So it’s not going to be one day that we wake up and say right, we’re going to live with Covid-19 and everything’s okay. I think there’s still a lot of groundwork to be done.”

The virus chief said that the Delta variant, which is sweeping across the UK, is the most concerning to date, describing it as the “fittest and fastest variant yet.” She warned that it could become even more troublesome.

“We have to continue to watch for a particular sort of variant of a variant if you like, that is associated with, for example, even more spread... That’s under constant monitoring at the moment.”

In May, Public Health England launched a New Variant Assessment Platform Programme to share its genomics expertise globally and monitor the development of new strains.

While more than 70% of British adults have been double jabbed against Covid-19, scientists have registered their concern that restriction-free Britain is the perfect place for new variants to emerge.

“The UK is in a prone position. Whether it will happen, we don’t know, but it’s more likely to happen here, now, than ever before,” said Professor Aris Katzourakis, who studies viral evolution at the University of Oxford.

Infection rates have skyrocketed in recent weeks, but deaths have remained lower than previous waves, reinforcing the hugely positive impact of the vaccination campaign. Just under 30,000 cases were reported on Sunday.

Boris Johnson’s government scrapped the last remaining restrictions on July 19, dubbed ‘Freedom Day’, allowing clubs to reopen and removing mask mandates for certain public places.

Source: RT
Image source: Reuters-RT

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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.”