Kent variant about 50% more transmissible than the original flavour, so has basically replaced it in the UK. Indian variant could be 50% more transmissible than the Kent variant - seems to be on its way to replacing it in a few areas.
That makes the Indian variant something like twice as transmissible as Original Covid (TM). Oh how I yearn for the good old days, when all we had to contend with was an R number of 3.
On the plus side - yay, vaccines! Because they seem to be highly effective against both Kent and Indian variants, so once we get them into the arms of everyone who will have one, we should be able to carry on with opening up the economy, seeing people etc without the untold misery of overflowing hospitals and isolated care home residents that we have endured for so long.
Personally, much as I enjoy a foreign holiday, I would forgo it for a few years if that’s what enables the other aspects of society to function at close to normal. I’ll even put up with wearing a mask for much longer if that’s the price we have to pay.
To enable this - I think we need government support (i.e. covering wages) for anyone who tests positive. Otherwise, those on low incomes will have to choose between doing the right thing and paying their bills, and that’s not fair when they are already more at risk of catching it than people who are better off.