The news - a bombshell - fell as yet another blow to the morale of the British who did not need it, and even to Europeans in general.
"The variant of the coronavirus, first identified in London and in the south-east of England, could be associated with a higher degree of mortality," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.
Scientists from the Advisory Group on New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats (Nervtag) concluded that this new strain, called B.1.1.7., Could increase the death rate by 30%.
“The evidence is not yet very strong but there is a set of elements that go in this direction, tried to qualify Patrick Vallance, the chief adviser to the government.
Ten of every 1,000 people infected, say in their sixties, are at risk of dying from the original virus, compared to thirteen or fourteen people with the new variant.
"
VIDEO. Covid-19: the British variant would have "a higher degree of mortality", indicates Boris Johnson
Professor Graham Medley, one of the co-authors of the report consulted by the government, believes, however, that this news, if it turns out, should not be a game-changer as to the effects of Covid-19 on the population.
"The question of whether this virus is more dangerous in terms of mortality is I think still open," he admitted to the BBC.
If the Prime Minister was alarmist, other scientific teams are continuing their research on the subject.
And in France?
Since Christmas Day and the first case detected in Tours (Indre-et-Loire) on a patient returning from London, a race against time has started to even trace this dangerous mutant.
But not so easy to know if you have contracted a Covid in British mode.
After a first survey which covers all positive PCR tests for Covid-19 on January 6 and 7, shows that 1.3% to 1.4% of viruses circulating on our soil are carriers of the British mutant.
According to the latest data available, Santé Publique France identified 131 infections by the variant from across the Channel on January 20, with the exception of Bourgogne-Franche Comté, all metropolitan areas were affected.
The British population, for its part most affected by this variant, does not hide its weariness.
"Yes, I imagine we have to be worried about this news of a more deadly variant, but we are already very careful," explains Sarafina, who is walking with her daughter Ravina.
We hardly ever go out, we keep our distance, etc.
The thirteen-year-old girl has had enough of the confinement that began on January 5.
She imagines that this news will deprive her of her friends even longer.
“I doubt we can go back to school in mid-February.
"
READ ALSO>
Covid-19: how the hunt for the British variant is organized in France
Morning essentials newsletter
A tour of the news to start the day
Subscribe to the newsletterAll newsletters
Paul, a Londoner who works in television, says the news will make him think twice before going out or meeting people.
“I'm going to tell my mother to be more vigilant,” he says.
She is 84 years old and she had the first dose of the vaccine but immunization will take time.
The news comes as the death toll from the virus rose 13.2% in one week in the UK and more than 1,300 deaths were recorded on Saturday.
While the number of hospitalizations has fallen by 6.1%, thanks to the effects of confinement, there are still more than 37,800 patients infected in British hospitals.
"They should have confined earlier"
Claire, a speech therapist who works for the NHS, the national health service, is not really worried about the greatest possible mortality of the variant but she does not take offense at the catastrophic management of the government, responsible according to her of these results.
“They have prioritized money over lives,” she says.
They should have confined earlier and introduced stronger restrictions.
There is so much confusion now that some people just do what they want.
"
The only success of the British government remains the vaccination campaign which began in December.
More than 5.8 million people have already received their first injection.
The Prime Minister assured that the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, used in the United Kingdom, were still effective against B1.1.7.
On the other hand, it is not so safe for the South African and Brazilian variants, which could make all efforts by the British health authorities in vain.
