Two of Britain’s leading health officials have provided assessments at the Downing Street press conference that help to justify Boris Johnson’s claim at PMQs earlier about being increasingly confident in the contest against the Indian variant of coronavirus. The variant, known as B.1.617.2, is responsible for Covid spikes in several areas in the UK. But Dr Jenny Harries, the head of the UK Health Security Agency, told the press conference that these cases were not leading to corresponding “sharp rises” in the number of people going to hospital. She said: [In] every area where we’re seeing variants across the country we’re looking continuously to see if we are getting increased hospital admissions, and if there are any fatalities associated with it. And actually we are not seeing that at the moment. The change in numbers ... is really too small [to serve as evidence the variant is driving hospital numbers up]. We’re seeing a fairly flat level of admissions. We have cases and we expect people to come in and out of hospital. We’re not seeing sharp rises at the moment but clearly we will continue to monitor that. This backs up the claim that the vaccines are effective against the Indian variant, which is what Johnson said at PMQs. (See 2.32pm.) And Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer, told the press conference most experts did not think that the Indian variant was 50% more transmissible than the Kent variant (B.1.1.7). Asked how much more transmissible the Indian variant was thought to be, he replied: I think scientists are sure that this virus is more transmissible than the strain that it is beginning to replace, which is the old Kent B.1.1.7 strain. The million dollar question is how much more transmissible - we don’t have that yet. We have a credible range that goes from a few percent more transmissible through to 50% more transmissible - I think most people feel it is going to be somewhere in the middle ... but it is just too early. The best estimate that I can give you is that the data will begin to firm up some time next week and I think next week will be the first time when we have a ranging shot at what the transmissibility increase is. This is significant because last week Sage said 50% was a “realistic possibility” and that, if that was the case, it could lead to “a substantial resurgence of hospitalisations”. Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has said no decision will be taken until the week before 21 June whether to proceed with the final stage of removing coronavirus restrictions. Cases of the B.1.617.2 Covid variant that originated in India have increased by 28% since Monday, Hancock has said, as he announced that surge testing would now be expanded to six more areas. Ministers have been accused of using “confused and contradictory” language over foreign travel, with Keir Starmer using prime minister’s questions to say this risks allowing more new variants of coronavirus into the country. Thousands of volunteers will be injected with a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine as part of a trial to investigate which ones could be used as “booster” doses to protect against new variants and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by a potential fresh wave of infections this winter. Nicola Sturgeon has prioritised the Covid recovery and difficult transition to a net zero economy in a significant reshuffle of her cabinet that boosts the roles of younger ministers. Starmer should resign if Labour loses the Batley and Spen byelection, the former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott has said, suggesting the party’s left wing would endorse a leadership run by Andy Burnham. The head of a loyalist group in Northern Ireland with links to former paramilitaries has warned of the prospect of more violence in the region, describing tensions over Brexit as “probably the most dangerous for many years”. That’s all from me for tonight. But our coronavirus coverage continues on our global live blog. It’s here.