The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Following the identification of cases of the Covid-19 variant of concern first discovered in India, enhanced measures are being introduced in Hounslow in order to prevent the spread of this virus and protect Londoners.
“I am in constant contact with NHS London and Public Health England, who are keeping a close eye on the situation in our city and will continue to take action to prevent the further spread of the virus.
“In Hounslow surge testing will be taking place, there will be more vaccines available for those who have already been invited to book, and second doses will be brought forward.
“I urge everyone who lives, studies or works in Hounslow to take a test as soon as you are invited to, in order to monitor and suppress the spread of the virus, and for all those invited to accept their vaccine as soon as you are offered it to ensure you are protected.
“By monitoring the spread of the virus and increasing the vaccination rates, we can protect our communities and strengthen our resilience. Given London’s significantly younger demographic, I continue to urge the Government to increase the availability of vaccines to younger age groups in communities where there is enduring transmission and where there are clusters of VOCs.
“We must all play our part to keep London safe. That’s why it is so important that Londoners continue to follow social distancing guidelines, wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, wear face coverings according to the rules indoors and take the vaccine as soon as you are offered it. I’m confident that we’re going to get over this latest hurdle, but we can’t be complacent – and we must all continue to do our bit.”