England accelerates vaccine programs due to new COVID-19 variant

England will bring forward the start of its autumn flu and COVID-19 vaccination programs as a precautionary measure after the identification of highly mutated COVID variant BA.2.86, which has been found in Britain.

Scientists have said BA.2.86, an offshoot of the Omicron variant, was unlikely to cause a devastating wave of severe disease and death, given immune defenses built up worldwide from vaccination and prior infection.

However, Britain's health ministry said annual vaccination programs for older and at-risk groups would start a few weeks earlier than planned in light of the variant.