England looked set to enjoy New Year festivities without the new Covid restrictions. This was despite stricter rules in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Boris Johnson, along with Professor Chris Whitty (his top advisor) and Sir Patrick Vallance (his top adviser), will see if Christmas infected will affect him. The meeting will determine if new legal safeguards will be necessary to prevent the next social hurrah which will take place in 2021.
New rules were announced in advance of Christmas in Scotland and Wales. They include Hogmanay festivities being cancelled in Edinburgh for the second consecutive year.
Downing Street, which described the meeting between the PM and his advisers as routine, is understood to be leaning towards new guidance urging people in England to be careful and limit contacts – rather than imposing new legally binding restrictions such as table service in pubs or limits on household mixing.
However, this may change if there is a rising tide of coronavirus infection in the NHS.
The legal limits would be in full force if Parliament was recalled. It can be done within 48-hours.
There were warnings that the Prime Minister needed to heed from both his Cabinet colleagues and those of his backbenchers.
The Guardian received a statement from one minister saying that data wasn’t persuasive enough to justify law changes. And Cotswolds MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories, told LBC: ‘The latest figures we had before Christmas showed that the number of cases in hospital was relatively stable – and that is the main measure why we need any further lockdowns, is to deal with infectivity in hospitals, and I don’t see that before Christmas.
Boris Johnson (pictured), is fighting to keep Covid restrictions from being imposed for the new year ahead of today’s crunch meeting.
A bar at Concert Square in Liverpool’s centre on Boxing Day had empty tables. Downing Street is understood to be leaning towards new guidance urging people in England to be careful and limit contacts – rather than imposing new legally-binding restrictions
Chris Whitty was the Chief Medical Officer in England and Patrick Vallance was Chief Scientific Adviser. To discuss legal measures to counter Omicron, the Prime Minister will meet with his advisers.
“So, I am hopeful that the Prime Minister will be extremely, very careful before adding more measures.
Sir Geoffrey stated that people are ‘taking matters in their own hands’ and being cautious, but added: “That’s the best solution to this problem – let people take their own decisions.”
The PM for England has been considering possible restrictions over the last few days, including closing bars and restaurants indoors.
The hospitality industry, which is in crisis, urged Johnson to stay firm last night amid positive signs Omicron might not be as dangerous as the previous versions.
According to pub owners, they had been pushed to the edge by a devastating Christmas. They added that this was threatening their future as well.
Johnson has so far refused to allow social mixing restrictions in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Similar restrictions have also been imposed in many European countries – but not yet in England.
Today sees the closure of all Scottish nightclubs. Hospitality businesses must now offer only table service, if they are serving alcohol.
Restaurants, bars, and indoor entertainment venues such as theatres, museums, and gyms will all have to reinstate one-metre social distance regulations.
These restrictions were placed after Sunday’s caps on large events.
Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Canada, announced that only 100 would be able attend an indoor standing event while 200 could sit.
The outdoor events are also limited to 500 people, a restriction that has harmed football the most.
Jason Leach (Scotland’s National Clinical Director) appeared to criticize Mr Johnson’s approach. Leach told BBC Radio 4’s Today that Johnson had not responded well to delays and it never has reacted well to slow or soft responses. It has always preferred hard, rapid responses.
But last night sources said the recall of Parliament was looking less likely than it had before Christmas – an indication that Downing Street is leaning away from stricter curbs. Simple guidance, asking people to restrict their contact, would be sufficient without Parliamentary sanctioning it or backing from Cabinet.
UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said that this weekend was the last opportunity for struggling hospitality companies to receive the cash they need to survive the quiet of January/February.
“We ask the PM to keep to his current plans. There is still much we don’t know about Omicron but we do know about the economic and social hit of lockdowns and restrictions – so caution is right.’
Campaign for Pubs sent Rishi Sunak and Mr Johnson a letter last night urging them not to impose any severe restrictions.
They said: ‘We are on the brink – in many cases literally on the verge of being unable to carry on, of walking away and of going under.
We can’t continue to do this. We can’t deal with another cycle of restriction and lockdown without financial support.
Some Cabinet ministers resisted the Prime Minister’s request last week, telling him that the Omicron data did not support further restrictions.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss spoke against additional curbs. However, Nadine Dorries and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove argued for them.
Tory backbenchers continue to put pressure on Johnson. 100 people voted against Mr Johnson’s plan to issue vaccine passports earlier in the month.
Sir Graham Brady (chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers) said that enough was enough. No new, unnecessary restrictions should be placed this week. This applies regardless of whether or not the PM decides to recall Parliament during an emergency session.
Alec Shelbrooke was his co-author and he added, “The Prime Minister must remain firm in refusing to impose additional restrictions this week.
“There’s no reason to ruin people’s New Year celebrations or inflict more economic damage.”
London is suffering the most severe effects of this new variant. One in twenty London residents are infected and ten out of the most affected areas in England lie within three miles between Lambeth, Wandsworth and Lambeth. (Highlighted in yellow above).
Ministers, according to some reports are monitoring hospitalisations numbers in London. A two-week lockdown is being imposed on daily over 400 patients.
Graph shows: The infection rate per 100,000 in the ten worst affected postcodes in the UK compared to the general rate in the rest of England since the start of October
ENGLAND. According to the ONS Covid-19 Incident Survey, approximately 1.5 million people contracted Covid in any week prior to December 19. It was 65% higher than last week.
According to data from the UK Health Security Agency, confirmed Covid cases per 100,000 residents in all areas of the UK
Many Brits test positive for Covid infection at Christmas family gatherings, fueling fears that Covid infections will skyrocket after data blackout ends tomorrow. Boris will decide whether to restrict access following the infected 10% last week.
For MailOnline, Stephen Wynn Davis and Katie Feehan
After family Christmas celebrations, scores of Britons were tested for Covid. This has fueled fears that infection rates will soar to well beyond 100,000 tomorrow.
Boris Johnson will be evaluating restrictions in the country tomorrow, after SAGE experts warned Omicron could lead to a spike of hospitalisations that exceed last winter’s peak. This is despite numerous studies showing it is milder than others.
Images posted to social media displayed the results of a positive Covid. A Sheffield resident shared photos of their Christmas meal outside under a tree and beside some bins.
Today, Scotland has added restrictions. Football matches are now limited to 500. Social gatherings can only be held in three households. Pubs require a table.
Wales is bringing back the rule of six and social gatherings can only be attended by 30.
A second person posted a photo of positive lateral flow testing with antlers, and added ‘Merry Christmas!’ using Instagram filters. The person wrote: ‘And so the c***py #covid Christmas continues: 3 out of 4 of us test positive. Waiting for PCR tests results for 2, but expect ++. The symptoms are similar to flu/cold.
According to the ONS, 1 out 10 Londoners were infected with the virus on Friday. This raises fears about millions of Brits being forced into isolation for seven days. It could also cripple essential services as well as the struggling hospitality industry.
SAGE, warning that Britain is in danger of being hit with a flood of Covid hospitalisations on Christmas Eve.
Although studies have shown that Omicron Covid is less likely to infect people, the latest modelling by London School of Health and Tropical Medicine shows that there could be a higher peak of hospitalisations.
The most recent Covid infection figures available are from Christmas Eve, when a record 122,186 daily Covid cases were recorded. Covid hospitalisations in London also rose steeply, although there is some debate over how many of those are patients admitted primarily for the symptoms of coronavirus.
In minutes from a meeting on December 23, the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies warned that the peak on hospital admissions ‘may be comparable to or higher than previous peaks’ – including the second wave in January.
MPs and hospitality bosses have warned not to bring in new restrictions before New Year’s Eve or risk ‘devastating’ businesses.
The Prime Minister is said to be determined to avoid closing schools, as last night Tory MPs issued a warning shot at Mr Johnson and his Government to resist any lockdown measures. Cabinet Ministers last week rejected Government scientists’ suggestions to tighten rules before Christmas.
Following studies last week that showed Omicron is significantly less likely to cause hospitalisation than the Delta variant, Mr Johnson is not expected to bring in legally binding restrictions or lockdown measures.
In a more likely scenario the Premier could issue guidance telling people to limit their contacts.
It comes as a record 1.7million people had Covid last week and it was revealed the ten worst-hit by Covid areas in England are all within a three square mile radius in south London.
The capital is being battered hardest by the super mutant Omicron variant after quickly becoming a hotbed for the strain earlier this month, with one in 20 infected in the capital according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.
The ten postcodes — all in Wandsworth and Lambeth — have an average infection rate of 3,819 cases per 100,000 people, more than quadruple the 838 per 100,000 in the rest of the country.
But writing in The Mail on Sunday, Sir Graham Brady, who chairs the influential 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, warns Mr Johnson not to do anything to ruin New Year’s Eve plans.
‘Enough is enough,’ he writes. ‘There must be no new unnecessary restrictions this week whether the PM sees fit to recall Parliament for an emergency session or whether he resorts simply to more guidance.’
People in London swarm into Selfridges for Boxing Day sales. London is being battered hardest by the super mutant Omicron variant after quickly becoming a hotbed for the strain earlier this month
Londoners walk around with shopping bags on Boxing Day. A record 1.7million people had Covid last week and it was revealed the ten worst-hit by Covid areas in England are all within a three square mile radius in south London
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade association UK Hospitality, said: ‘For many beleaguered hospitality businesses the New Year period is the last chance they have of making some much needed revenue to be able to get them through the lean months of January and February.’
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said: ‘The uncertainty is killing our sector at the moment.
‘If the Government closes businesses for New Year’s Eve, people will simply gather in people’s households or at illegal events and it’s going to be counterproductive.’
Des Gunewardena, chief executive of the D&D London group, which owns 40 venues including Bluebird and Le Pont de la Tour, said: ‘New Year’s Eve is massive, it’s the biggest night of the year for us across all of our restaurants.’
Meanwhile the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has urged the Government not to close churches and places of worship once again.
Speaking to the BBC, Cardinal Vincent Nichols said: ‘I think this country has shown that people can make good judgments themselves.
Boxing Day shoppers walk through the centre of Cardiff, Wales. New restrictions are being introduced in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as the country’s leaders try to combat rising Covid cases
Boxing Day shoppers queue to enter shops in the centre of Cardiff, Wales, as new Covid rules come into force. It is thought Boris Johnson is hoping to avoid legally-binding curbs against Omicron
‘We’re at that point of saying we understand the risk. We know what we should do. Most people are sensible and cautious. We don’t need stronger impositions to teach us what to do.’
But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday there is a ‘danger’ that people who were careful in the run up to Christmas to be able to see their loved ones will start mixing more after today.
However the source said the overall picture on Omicron is ‘more optimistic than people thought’.
Tomorrow a ‘Covid-O’ committee of Ministers and officials will discuss the frontline staff shortages as a result of Omicron spreading.
The meeting will include Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
The appeals from MPs and business leaders came as new Sage papers and fresh modelling warned that Omicron may yet lead to a higher peak of hospitalisations than last winter’s – despite its lower severity and widespread vaccination.
Last January hospitalisations peaked at 4,583 daily admissions, over four times the current rate.
But although three UK studies last week found that Omicron was much less virulent than Delta – between 15 and 70 per cent less likely to lead to hospitalisation – Sage cautioned against optimism.
It warned these figures were largely based on younger people who have formed the bulk of infections so far.
Those who shared news of their positive test results on social media included a woman who was forced to cancel plans to host her family on Christmas Day after her nine-year-old son tested positive in the morning.
One user said her whole family had tested positive for Covid-19, while another woman said she tested negative in the morning and when she tested again in the evening she was positive.
While another Twitter user said he was due to visit his in-laws for the first time since 2019, only for his youngest to test positive two hours before they got together.
The UK is about to be hit by a large wave of Covid hospitalisations and the peak could be even higher than last winter despite the reduced severity of the Omicron variant, SAGE have warned
‘I literally know so many people who have tested positive on Christmas Day. That’s not very Christmassy’, said another.
But while some people were disappointed, others said they had ‘made the most of it’.
As the wave of infections continues across the UK, ministers are planning to send door-to-door teams armed with Covid jabs to reach the estimated five million people yet to be inoculated.
Government dashboard data shows there were 122,186 positive tests across the country on Friday, which was up about 30 per cent on the week before and more than double the figure a fortnight ago.
Meanwhile, around 1 in 10 people in London were likely infected with COVID-19 on Sunday, according to new official estimates that underlined the relentless advance of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
Daily modelled estimates produced by the Office for National Statistics showed around 9.5% of Londoners had COVID-19 as of Sunday, within a 95 per cent confidence interval of 8.43 per cent to 10.69 per cent.
Two people walk around in Covent Garden in London on Boxing Day. Tomorrow a ‘Covid-O’ committee of Ministers and officials will discuss the frontline staff shortages as a result of Omicron spreading
Groups of people, some in masks, wandering around London on December 26. A Government source told The Mail on Sunday there is a ‘danger’ that people who were careful in the run up to Christmas to be able to see their loved ones will start mixing more after today
Crowds walk around in London’s Covent Garden. Most recent Covid infections data are available from Christmas Eve. A record number of 122,186 Covid cases per day was recorded. London’s Covid hospitalizations rose sharply as well, but there are questions about whether those who were admitted for coronavirus symptoms only.
These figures were released a day after Britain had recorded an unprecedented number of coronavirus infections. The Omicron virus swept the country and the daily count reached 119,789, up from 106,122 one day prior.
According to the ONS, a record number of people had COVID-19 in England between December 13th and 19th. This is in contrast with an earlier estimate that was published Thursday at 1 in 45 for the week ending Dec. 16.
Numerous industries and transportation networks face staff shortages. Sick workers are forced to self-isolate. Hospitals in Britain warn of potential impact on patient safety.
Omicron has seen a rapid rise in British cases during the last seven day, with the total increasing by 678.165, according to data from government officials on Thursday.
The Conservative government of Prime Minster Boris Johnson is trying to reduce the economic effects of the COVID-19 epidemic. On Wednesday, the British Government announced that it would be reducing the period of legal isolation in England from 10 to 7 days.
The new infections meant nearly 900,000 Britons who tested positive in the last 10 days faced spending Christmas Day in self-isolation — although people who tested positive a week ago in England can be let out early if they come back negative on lateral flows.
Meanwhile separate ONS figures revealed nationally there were 1.69million infections per day in the week up to December 19 — last Sunday — rising 55 per cent compared to the previous week.
The survey — based on swabs of more than 555,000 people — is regarded as the most reliable indicator of Britain’s Covid pandemic because it uses random sampling rather than relying on people coming forward for tests.
The ONS found that there was an unprecedented number of infections, but the findings do not match up with the gloomy Government modeling which suggested Omicron would be doubling every other day.
Over the last week, discussions between No 10, NHS England and the Department of Health looked into a national drive to send vaccination teams to low-uptake areas as an important way to prevent lockdowns and restrictions.
You can also use it to give jabs to people living in remote areas, or to help them get to the nearest vaccination center.
SAGE warns the UK that the UK could soon be struck by large waves of Covid hospitalisations. This is despite Omicron being less severe.
Meanwhile, hospitalisations in London were dangerously close to the Government’s threshold of 400 for more national restrictions, reaching 386 on December 22.
SAGE warns that there is still a significant number of Covid hospitalizations in the NHS.
Mounting evidence — including findings of three key UK studies — has indicated the Omicron variant is up to 70 per cent less likely to cause hospitalisation than Delta.
But SAGE — which has advised Government throughout the pandemic — warns the variant is spreading so fast that it could offset any reduction in severity.
In minutes from a meeting on December 23 published last night, the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies warned that the peak on hospital admissions ‘may be comparable to or higher than previous peaks’ – including the second wave in January.
Boris Johnson has been warned by hospitality executives and MPs not to introduce new restrictions in the New Year.
Christmas Day saw the vaccination drive continue. NHS England stated that yesterday’s vaccination drive saw thousands receiving booster and first jabs.
Over 220,000 doses of vaccine were distributed in the week up to 21 December. That’s an increase of 46 percent compared with the previous week. The first dose was taken by 18-24-year-olds at an increase of 85 percent, while it rose 71% for 25- to 30-year olds.