The public can trust the Covid vaccines in the UK, despite concerns about the effectiveness of the Oxford-AstraZeneca test against the South African variant, says the vaccine minister.
An early study suggests that jab offers "minimal protection" against mild diseases in the South African variant.
But Nadhim Zahawi said the vaccines used seem to work well against the dominant variants in the UK.
South Africa has suspended the launch of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
His government is awaiting further advice on how best to proceed in the light of preliminary findings from a study suggesting that jab provides limited protection against mild to moderate diseases for the first time discovered in South Africa.
Scientists say the strain - also known as 501.V2 or B.1.351 - accounts for 90% of new coronavirus cases in the country.
Health Minister Edward Argar told BBC Breakfast that 147 cases of the South African variant had been found in the UK, which was "a very small number, but it is still something that rightly needs to be addressed." - we follow him very carefully ".
The version of the virus first discovered in Kent is the dominant strain in the UK.
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Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Zahawi said scientists were working on updated vaccines to provide additional protection against the new variants.
"While it is fair and necessary to prepare for the implementation of an up-to-date vaccine, we can trust the current launch and the protection it will offer everyone against this terrible disease," he said.
He added that recent studies have shown that vaccines currently being developed in the UK "seem to work well" against the currently dominant variants in the country.
"We need to be aware that even when a vaccine has low effectiveness in preventing infection, there can still be good effectiveness against severe illness, hospitalization and death," he said.
"Significant implications"
Dr Mike Tildesley, an infectious disease expert advising the government, told BBC Radio 4's program today that "it is very possible" that the South African version could already be quite widespread in the UK.
"Growth tests" taking place in some parts of England "really need to be effective" to stop its spread, he said, but "unfortunately we may be in a similar situation to the Kent variant." ”Which eventually spread throughout the country.
He added that there are "significant implications" if the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is less effective against the South African variant, as it could mean "more restrictions may be needed for a longer time".
Additional "overvoltage" tests take place in small areas of England, including parts of Surrey, Bristol, London, Kent, Hertfordshire, Walsall, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.
Positive cases will be looked at to see if they are caused by the South African variant, with results returning in about seven to 10 days, according to Worcestershire's director of public health, Dr Kathryn Cobain.
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