UK's Johnson wants tougher border control due to risk of 'vaccine-busting' new variants

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday he was looking at toughening the United Kingdom's border controls because of the risk of "vaccine-busting" new variants of the coronavirus.

"We have to realise there is at least the theoretical risk of a new variant that is a vaccine-busting variant coming in - we've got to be able to keep that under control," Johnson told reporters at a vaccination centre.

"We want to make sure that we protect our population, protect this country against reinfection from abroad," Johnson said. "We need a solution."

He said the government was looking at the option of quarantine hotels but that the United Kingdom had one of the tightest regimes in the world.

"That idea of looking at hotels is certainly one thing that we are actively now working on," he said.

Johnson said the United Kingdom was on target to reach its vaccination targets for vulnerable groups by February 15.

"We are on target to hit our ambition," he said.