Boris Johnson: Jab by jab we will beat this virus
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UP NEXT
People should think twice before leaving the house this weekend Boris Johnson has said as he warned the UK was still in a dangerous situation in its fight against Covid.
Mr Johnson said the UK would eventually beat the coronavirus "jab by jab", but suggested people should stay home this weekend in a bid to do their bit to fight the spread.
Mr Johnson said: "We've already vaccinated hundreds of thousands more people than any other country in Europe.
"But until the job is done, we must keep this virus under control."
He warned that one in three people can carry coronavirus without any symptoms, branding them "silent spreaders, unwittingly infecting others."
"That could, I'm afraid, be you."
© Boris Johnson/TwitterMr Johnson asked people to stay home where possible
Mr Johnson added: "It's safest to assume you have Covid, so please, really think twice before leaving the house this weekend."
The PM is set to host a Downing Street press conference at 5pm today - joined by Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance.
The Government has said it will vaccinate 13 million people in the top four most vulnerable categories in just weeks order to start relaxing the lockdown.
It came as No 10 said Government scientists at Porton Down are assessing the new Covid variant from Brazil.
Downing Street said the variant "could pose a significant risk to the UK" and is believed to be more transmissible.
Top scientists at the UK research facility in Wiltshire are examining the variant, as they did with other more transmissible mutations that began in Kent and South Africa.
But the Prime Minister's spokesman said there is currently "no evidence" it is more deadly or could resist a vaccine.
It comes after a top virologist said a Brazilian coronavirus variant is 'already in UK' - but not the strain that led to a travel ban overnight.
© Boris Johnson/TwitterThe video comes as fears grow over a new variant from Brazil
Prof Wendy Barclay, head of the G2P-UK National Virology Consortium - a panel of experts set up specifically to look at new coronavirus variants - said it was probably introduced "some time ago".
But she stressed that there were two Brazilian variants discovered so far and the one detected in the UK is not the mutation causing the concern.
She explained: "The new Brazilian variant of concern, that was picked up in travellers going to Japan, has not been detected in the UK.
"Other variants that may have originated from Brazil have been previously found."
The Prime Minister's official spokesman would not be drawn on whether any Britain had any live cases of a variant or variants that began in Brazil.
However, he said: "As we have done throughout the pandemic, Public Health England have worked hard to identify cases of new variants and obviously they are doing that with this one.
"And you can expect an update later today."