The new Covid strains explained in Punjabi

A new UK strain of coronavirus was first discovered in September, and since then has been causing a rise in infections in the UK. The new variant has been found to spread more quickly, research from Public Health England suggests it's between 30% and 50% more infectious.

The strain has caused a surge in cases and rising hospital admissions, which led the government to increase restrictions and introduce a national lockdown. Other strains have also been discovered in countries across the world.

Are the new strains more deadly? Will the vaccine work against the new UK variant? The BBC Asian Network is helping the South Asian community to understand the new variants and answer their questions in five languages: Punjabi, Urdu, Tamil, Gujarati and Sylheti.

Dr Dilsher Singh spoke to his mum Balbir Kaur, in Punjabi, to address her concerns about the new variants.