India variant could seriously disrupt lifting of lockdown, says Boris Johnson

PM announces acceleration of Covid vaccine programme, saying race could become a great deal tighter'

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The final stage of the lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions across England could face serious disruption" due to the India variant, the prime minister has warned, as he announced plans to accelerate the vaccine programme to curb its spread.

Boris Johnson said the gap between the first and second Covid jab would be cut from 12 weeks to eight for all over-50s and the clinically vulnerable, admitting: The race between our vaccine programme and the virus may be about to become a great deal tighter."