Plague Island?

Cases of the new (presumably more infective) variant of Covid-19 have now be identified in Spain, Sweden and Switzerland (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/27/scientists-call-for-nationwide-lockdown-after-rapid-spread-of-covid-19-variant). In all cases, these outbreaks have been linked to people arriving from the UK. The UK (notably London and the SE of England) is, of course, the major focus for this variant. The spread of the virus in this area, has led some scientists to urge that the whole country should immediately be placed in tier 4 (the strictest lockdown condition). English hospitals have also been urged to free up as many beds as possible (hopefully not, this time, by decanting Covid-19 infected patients into Care Homes) in anticipation of a surge in Covid-19 patients (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/dec/27/hospitals-in-england-told-to-free-up-all-possible-beds-for-surging-covid-cases).