Surge testing for South Africa Covid-variant carried out in two London boroughs

Hundreds of thousands of people across south London are being urged to get tested for the coronavirus in an effort to contain an outbreak of the highly infectious South Africa variant.

Some 44 cases have so far been confirmed in the boroughs of Wandsworth and Lambeth, though the lifting of some lockdown restrictions has gone ahead in these areas.

Today the government announced all people over 45 will now be offered the vaccine.