UK health secretary on vaccines and virus variants

The UK health secretary on Wednesday welcomed a new study that suggests that one dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine may reduce transmission of coronavirus by two thirds.

Matt Hancock also said that it was "absolutely critical" that outbreaks of the new South Africa variant were traced so that "we absolutely stamp on it".

England has begun house-by-house COVID-19 testing in some areas as authorities try to snuff out the new variant before it spreads widely and undermines a nationwide vaccination programme.