Boris Johnson, today gave permission for New Year’s Eve celebrations to take place. However, he urged people to be cautious and sensible.
The Prime Minister declared that, in spite of Omicron spreading across the globe, he still believes everyone should celebrate New Year.
The strain is still causing real problems with rising hospitalisations. However, data from the database shows it to be ‘obviously more mild than the Delta variety’.
Johnson stated that England doesn’t currently require new coronavirus restrictions because of the booster jab rollout, even though Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have all adopted new socialising rules.
He reiterated today his call for the nation’s support, warning that 92% of Covid-infected patients in intensive care units around the country have not been given the top-up dose.
Johnson is being criticized for not making a public appearance recently despite the coronavirus crises.
He was grilled on the subject this morning as he was asked where he had been ‘for the last 10 days’, he replied: ‘I have been in this country.’
These remarks were made after hospitality officials suggested that 100,000 Welsh and Scottish revellers might cross the English Channel to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
Expect a surge of people entering England from December 31 due to restrictions on social events in neighboring countries. The Scottish government has admitted that it cannot stop Scots making the journey.
Boris Johnson, today granted the go ahead for New Year’s Eve celebrations but advised the nation to remain ‘cautious’ and’sensible’. Pictured this morning in Milton Keynes at a vaccine centre
Johnson promised there would be no new Covid laws in England after New Year’s Eve.
He chose not to add curbs to his actions in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland where extra restrictions were imposed following Christmas.
During a visit at a Milton Keynes vaccination center, the PM stated that the vaccine programme was ‘able to continue in the manner that we are’.
He said: ‘The Omicron variant continues to cause real problems. Although we see cases increasing in hospitals, it is clearly milder than that of the Delta variant. We can continue as we are.
‘But there is one reason and one reason only why we are able to do that and that is because such a huge proportion of the British public have come forward to get vaccinated and particularly to get boosted.
‘We have done about 32 and a half, maybe more, million booster jabs now and that is allowing us to go ahead with New Year in the cautious way that we are.
‘But I cannot stress too much how vital it is for everybody to get that booster jab, particularly the 2.4million people who have had two jabs but haven’t yet had their booster, they had two jabs more than six or seven months ago, so they are eligible for their booster but they are not yet coming forward to get it.
‘So I would say to people, come forward and get your booster, it is a fantastic thing to do, it makes a huge amount of difference to you, it protects you, and I’m sorry to say this but the overwhelming majority of people who are currently ending up in intensive care in our hospitals are people who are not boosted.
‘I have talked to doctors who say the numbers are running up to 90 per cent of people in intensive care who are not boosted.
‘If you are not vaccinated you are eight times more likely to get into hospital altogether.’
Johnson was asked about his views on the New Year’s Eve crossing of the English border.
He said: ‘I think everybody should enjoy New Year but in a cautious and sensible way. Take a test, ventilation, think about others, but above all get a booster.’
Asked why England is taking a different approach to curbs to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Mr Johnson said: ‘We are looking at the data and what we are seeing is that we have got cases certainly going up, we have got a lot of cases of Omicron, but on the other hand we can see the data about the relative mildness of Omicron and what we can also see is the very, very clear effect of getting those jabs, getting those boosters in particular.
‘That is what is making a huge difference. I found that 90 per cent aren’t boosted according to surveys I’ve seen.
‘So think about that, think about the risk you are running with your own health if you fail to get a booster.’
Johnson claimed that while the number of cases is increasing, Mr Johnson noted that Government has ‘looked to the balance of risks’. He also stated that although there are many factors that can cause an increase in vaccine-induced immunity (i.e. booster resistance) it is making a significant difference.
According to the PM, he is confident that ministers will reach their goal of providing a booster vaccine for every eligible adult by the end the year.
‘What we need to do now is really finish off that work and I have no doubt at all that by January 1, by the New Year, everybody, every adult in the country, will have been offered a slot to get a booster,’ he said.