Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, whether his Department has conducted a recent analysis of the (a) transmissibility of the Beta variant compared with the Alpha variant, (b) severity of disease caused by the Beta variant compared with the Alpha variant and (c) ability of the Beta variant to evade the AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine.

Public Health England’s (PHE) data published on 11 June shows that transmissibility of the Beta variant is similar to Alpha in the United Kingdom. PHE monitors the epidemiology and growth rate of all variants of concern in England. PHE also monitors the case fatality ratio of all variants of concern in England. The current case fatality ratio in England is similar between Alpha and Beta amongst those individuals who have completed 28 day follow up.

PHE’s risk assessment of 1 April 2021 states that there is evidence of reduced ability of vaccinated individuals to neutralise the virus, across vaccines. Evidence suggests the magnitude of this effect is larger for Beta, compared to Gamma or Alpha. There is clinical trial evidence of decreased effectiveness in humans for preventing mild to moderate infection with Beta variant. This varies by vaccine. PHE reviews and updates the variant risk assessment.