Covid: Vaccine should stop new variant, says WHO

The World Health Organization's chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, says it is "very unlikely" the latest mutation of the coronavirus will cause the current vaccines not to work.

She told BBC World News that scientists around the world were carrying out lab experiments to confirm the vaccines would still be effective.

"They are taking this virus, this strain, they are growing it in the lab and then they are looking to see whether it can be killed or neutralised by antibodies taken from people who have either had the natural infection or have had the vaccine," she said.