2,323 cases of the Indian coronavirus variant have been reported in the UK, the health secretary Matt Hancock has said. It is now the dominant strain in Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen.

Can a vaccination surge prevent a lockdown? And why has the North West struggled to keep cases down?

Sky News Daily podcast host Jonathan Samuels is joined by Professor Robert Dingwall to explain what we know about the variant so far, and political editor of the Manchester Evening News Jennifer Williams discusses inequalities. Plus, Bolton pharmacist Thorrun Govind talks vaccine hesitancy.