Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of potential mutations of COVID-19 on the delivery of an effective vaccine.

The rate of mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and its impact on vaccine effectiveness, is the subject of a large, worldwide research effort to which many United Kingdom institutions are making a significant contribution. The Commission on Human Medicines has convened a COVID-19 Expert Working Group that meets on a regular basis to review the latest developments and advise the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on their regulatory implications.