UK health minister says new COVID variant makes it harder to lift lockdown

LONDON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Britain's health minister Matt
Hancock said on Monday a new more infectious coronavirus variant
means the government needs to be more cautious in lifting
lockdown restrictions.

The government said on Friday that the new variant may be
30% more deadly than the original strain.

"There is no question the new variant made this fight a
whole lot tougher," Hancock told a press conference. "The
critical message is we must be cautious. For all of us, our
response must be extra careful."

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; writing by Andrew MacAskill)