What we know so far about the new coronavirus strain

There is, however, no evidence yet to suggest it is more lethal or causes more severe illness, or that vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant

Over the weekend, officials in London announced a new variant of the Sars-Cov-2 appeared to be taking hold in some parts of the country. They said it could be up to 70% more transmissible than the old variant.

A sign reads "Covid-19 Cases Very High in London. Stay at Home" near a highway in London, UK. (Bloomberg)

There is, however, no evidence yet to suggest it is more lethal or causes more severe illness, or that vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant. The announcement forced countries around the world to soon announce restrictions on flights from the UK. Till Monday, the number of nations that unveiled such restrictions had grown to at least 33. Scientific knowledge about the new variant suggests there is reason for concern, but none for panic.