Matt Hancock has said it is too early to say whether or not the country can fully reopen on June 21 amid claims the Indian variant is now the dominant strain in Britain.

The Health Secretary was responding to Jeremy Hunt in the House of Commons after Professor Neil Ferguson told the BBC the Indian variant had gone from "being a small minority a month ago to the majority variant now".

Mr Hancock said: "It is true that the Indian variant is spreading across the country, and estimates vary as to what proportion of the new cases each day."

He added: "It is too early now to say, yet, whether we can take the full step four on Jun 21. I desperately want us to, but we will only do that if it's safe."

Read the full story here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-covid-india-variant-uk-vaccine-local-lockdown/

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