After scientists warned about the new variant being 70 per cent more transmissible, the British government has planned to impose tighter restrictions this Christmas around London and south-east England.

Coronavirus don't mutate so quickly, typically making the schedule of two minor genetic changes per month.

Jeffrey Barrett, director of the Covid Genomics Project at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said "This new variant is very concerning, and unlike anything we've seen so far in the pandemic."

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English physician and epidemiologist who serves as the Chief Medical Officer for England, Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government, Professor Chris Whitty ensured the new mutant, however, isn't more fatal that its previous strains.

Prime minister Boris Johnson, speaking at Down Street, said the news of strict lockdown is saddening but when the virus changes itself, humans are supposed to accomodate changing rules to cope up with its mutation.