All adults are to be supplied a coronavirus booster jab to assist cease the Omicron variant.
The vaccines watchdog will at the moment approve third doses for the over-18s, with a Whitehall supply saying: ‘We wish to put the booster programme on steroids.’
The strikes comes forward of the introduction tomorrow of recent virus restrictions, together with necessary facemasks in retailers and new guidelines on self-isolation.
Virtually 18 million folks have to date had booster jabs, which till now have been restricted to over-40s, frontline medics and people with well being points. However now 12.8 million Britons within the 18 to 39 age group will likely be invited for a 3rd shot.
The vaccine rollout could also be accelerated by shrinking the hole between second and third doses from six months to 5.



The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation can be contemplating whether or not to supply second doses to 12 to 15-year-olds, who at the moment solely get one jab.
As a 3rd case of the Omicron variant was detected in Britain:
- The top of the UK Well being Safety Company admitted it was ‘very probably’ that additional instances of the brand new pressure would emerge;
- Households had been instructed to plan for Christmas ‘as regular’ as ministers rejected calls to carry again extra lockdown restrictions;
- Medics in South Africa urged the world to not panic about Omicron regardless of fears it will probably unfold quickly and should evade vaccines;
- Police will likely be given the facility to challenge fines of between £200 and £6,400 to again up the order for face coverings for use on public transport and in retailers, banks and hairdressers once more from tomorrow;
- Secondary faculties, schools and universities in England had been instructed that pupils, employees and guests ought to put on masks in communal areas;
- The UK will convene an pressing assembly of G7 well being ministers at the moment to debate the brand new variant;
- Ministers had been urged to slash the price of PCR checks to cease households being priced out of going overseas this Christmas.

The top of the UK Well being Safety Company admitted it was ‘very probably’ that additional instances of the brand new pressure would emerge



Between November 11 and November 26, there have been 48 direct flights from Cape City and Johannesburg to London Heathrow. Throughout this era, there have been two British Airways flights and one Virgin Atlantic flight per day

All flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia had been banned by Mr Javid
NHS bosses are working to quickly improve the capability of the vaccination programme from the six million doses that had been scheduled for England alone over the following three weeks.
The deputy chairman of the JCVI mentioned it was proper to present over-18s a booster sooner than anticipated amid issues over the brand new variant and the affect of winter pressures on the NHS.
Professor Anthony Harnden additionally backed lowering the interval between the second and booster doses. He instructed BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting Home: ‘There’s an excellent, sturdy argument for elevating the antibody stage in the entire of the group.
‘So, accelerating the booster programme, each by extending the age vary and by lowering the interval between the second dose and the booster dose, will likely be a wise technique. These adults 18-plus can have a suggestion of a booster sooner than we had beforehand envisaged.’
Pharmaceutical giants yesterday recommended a brand new vaccine to combat in opposition to Omicron could possibly be prepared on a big scale at the beginning of subsequent 12 months.
The chief medical officer of Moderna has mentioned whereas it was a ‘dangerous-looking’ variant, he was optimistic about preventing it. Paul Burton added: ‘Now we have trigger to be hopeful, we have learnt lots about this virus normally.


Graphs proven at a Downing Avenue press convention on Saturday confirmed the quantity of people that have been jabbed

‘We have realized a lot about methods to take care of Covid as effectively, by easy measures, and clearly by vaccines, however we have to see how this virus now behaves in populations of older folks, folks with different comorbidities.
‘We actually wish to get a deal with on precisely how extreme the illness could possibly be. It is a dangerous-looking virus, however I believe we have now many instruments in our armamentarium now to get to combat it, so I am optimistic.’
Dr Burton mentioned researchers would have a greater thought in regards to the effectiveness of present vaccines in opposition to Omicron within the subsequent couple of weeks, but when a brand new vaccine was required it could possibly be produced on a big scale by early 2022.
Dr Jenny Harries, of the UK Well being Safety Company, mentioned extra Omicron instances had been probably however Britain’s superior sequencing capabilities would ‘allow us to seek out variants and take fast motion to restrict onward unfold’.
Yesterday the UK reported 37,681 virus instances and 51 deaths inside 28 days of a constructive check.
THIRD British case of Omicron ‘super-mutant’ is detected in London as contact tracers urgently hunt for church-goers and KFC guests linked to outbreaks in Essex and Nottingham – however at the moment’s UK Covid instances fall 5.8% to 37,681 and deaths drop from 61 to 51
By BHVISHYA PATEL for MailOnline
A 3rd case of the newly recognized ‘super-mutant’ Omicron coronavirus variant has been recorded within the UK, officers have .
The UK Well being and Safety Company (UKHSA) mentioned the person, who’s longer within the nation, examined constructive for the variant after spending time in Westminster, London.
UKHSA mentioned the an infection was ‘linked to journey to southern Africa’ and sources have claimed they didn’t go to Parliament throughout their time within the UK, with the case as an alternative linked to the broader borough.
An pressing hunt for contacts of the three UK instances continued at the moment as members of a church congregation and employees, clients and supply employees at a KFC outlet have been instructed to get a PCR check for the Omicron variant after it was detected in Brentwood.
Essex County Council mentioned the focused testing impacts anybody who visited the KFC in Brentwood Excessive Avenue on November 19, between 1pm and 5pm. The authority mentioned it additionally impacts individuals who attended Trinity Church in Pilgrims Hatch on November 21.
Jenny Harries, chief government of UKHSA, mentioned: ‘Our superior sequencing capabilities allow us to seek out variants and take fast motion to restrict onward unfold.
‘It is vitally probably that we are going to discover extra instances over the approaching days as we’re seeing in different international locations globally and as we improve case detection by targeted contact tracing.’
It comes after one other 37,681 Covid instances and 51 deaths had been recorded within the UK at the moment.
The variety of infections posted by Division of Well being officers at the moment is down 5.8 per cent from 40,004 recorded final Sunday, whereas the quantity of people that have died inside 28 days of testing constructive for Covid fell by 16.4 per cent from 61 final week.



A 3rd case of the newly recognized Omicron coronavirus variant has been recorded within the UK. Pictured: A Covid testing centre signal at Heathrow Terminal 5
It comes as Sajid Javid at the moment insisted it’s ‘going to be a terrific Christmas’ and the UK was ‘nowhere close to’ correct lockdown as he desperately tried to chill panic over the brand new Omicron Covid variant.
The primary two instances of the variant had been detected in Nottinghamshire and Essex on Saturday.
Each had been linked to journey to southern Africa, the suspected origin of the mutation, and the contaminated people and members of their households had been instructed to self-isolate after the UK Well being Safety Company confirmed the sequencing.
Right now, the Well being Secretary mentioned the federal government was taking ‘proportionate and balanced’ precautions to ‘purchase time’.
He additionally confirmed that masks will likely be obligatory once more in retailers and on public transport from Tuesday.
Based on a message on the passenger locator type part of the Authorities’s web site, day two checks for arrivals within the UK may even have to be PCRs moderately than lateral flows from 4am on Tuesday.
However Mr Javid confused there is no such thing as a certainty that the ‘super-mutant’ pressure will have the ability to dodge vaccines, or to what extent that would occur.
Mr Javid mentioned the federal government would think about updating the recognised signs for Covid, after being instructed on the BBC’s Andrew Marr present that reviews in southern Africa recommended folks didn’t lose sense of scent or style and suffered extra fatigue.
‘We are going to after all if we have to,’ he mentioned.
The reassurance effort got here after Boris Johnson introduced modifications to testing and isolation guidelines, and necessary masks in retailers and on trains in a bid to stop the unfold of the extremely transmissible new variant.
At a Downing Avenue press convention final night time the PM put unlocking in reverse as he prolonged journey bans, imposing day-two PCR checks for arrivals in Britain, and making facemasks obligatory in retailers and on trains.
All arrivals to the nation should self-isolate till they get a unfavorable end result from a gold-standard check – which may establish these carrying Omicron.
All contacts of individuals contaminated with the variant should keep at house for 10 days.
Mr Javid mentioned this morning he hopes additional measures will likely be ‘short-term’, including he thinks folks will ‘take this extra critically’.
Chatting with Trevor Phillips On Sunday on Sky Information, Mr Javid mentioned: ‘Doing it on this proportionate approach the place it is for public transport, it is for stores, I believe is the correct stage of response on masks.
‘It will likely be by way of Authorities regulation and which means, I believe, that individuals will take it critically.’
Mr Javid added: ‘It is necessary, I believe, to behave in a proportionate approach and in addition in a brief approach.

Sajid Javid mentioned the federal government was taking ‘proportionate and balanced’ precautions to ‘purchase time’, however confused there is no such thing as a certainty that the ‘super-mutant’ pressure will have the ability to dodge jabs

Crowds of customers pack on to Northumberland Avenue in Newcastle this afternoon
‘I hope that is one thing that we will take away inside weeks.
‘However I do suppose by way of making progress, we wish life to return in direction of regular, however at this cut-off date, given what we learn about this variant, and the knowledgeable recommendation that has been obtained, I believe it’s proper to take some proportionate and balanced motion.’
Yesterday 4 extra international locations – Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola – had been added to the no-fly listing and all flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia had been banned by Mr Javid amid rising worldwide panic in regards to the Omicron variant.
The EU, US and Canada all adopted Britain’s transfer to impose journey restrictions on guests from southern Africa forward of the WHO including the pressure, also called B.1.1.529, to its highest class for regarding variants.
The Prime Minister mentioned: ‘We’re not going to cease folks travelling, I wish to stress that, we’re not going to cease folks travelling, however we would require anybody who enters the UK to take a PCR check by the tip of the second day after their arrival and to self-isolate till they’ve a unfavorable end result.
‘Second, we have to decelerate the unfold of this variant right here within the UK, as a result of measures on the border can solely ever minimise and delay the arrival of a brand new variant moderately than cease all of it collectively.
‘We would require all contacts of those that check constructive with a suspected case of Omicron to self-isolate for 10 days no matter your vaccination standing. We may even go additional in asking all of you to assist comprise the unfold of this variant by tightening up the foundations on face coverings in retailers and on public transport.’
Mr Johnson mentioned border journey measures can ‘solely ever minimise and delay the arrival of a brand new variant moderately than cease all of it collectively’, so all contacts with a suspected case of the brand new variant should isolate for 10 days, no matter their vaccination standing.
He added the measures will likely be reviewed ‘in three weeks’, including: ‘At that time we must always have a lot larger details about the persevering with effectiveness of our vaccines.’
The Prime Minister additionally instructed a Downing Avenue press convention: ‘We have to bolster our protections in opposition to this new variant.
‘We do not but precisely know the way efficient our vaccines will likely be in opposition to Omicron however we have now good causes for believing they’ll present a minimum of some measure of safety.
‘In case you’re boosted, your response is prone to be stronger so it is extra very important than ever that individuals get their jabs and we get these boosters into arms as quick as attainable.
‘From at the moment we will enhance the booster marketing campaign, we’re already planning on doing six million jabs in England alone over the following three weeks and now we’re seeking to go additional.
‘The Well being Secretary has requested the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) to contemplate giving boosters to as broad a gaggle as attainable in addition to lowering the hole between your second dose and your booster.’
Britain’s first two Omicron an infection got here as a spate of instances had been discovered throughout Europe, with a minimum of 61 new instances of Covid getting into the Netherlands from South Africa this morning. Authorities are at the moment sequencing the checks for the brand new variant.
Europe’s first case of the variant was noticed in Belgium and Germany and the Czech Republic each confirmed suspected instances a day later.
In an announcement yesterday afternoon, Mr Javid mentioned: ‘Right now I can announce one factor that we’re doing instantly is finishing up focused testing and sequencing of constructive instances within the two areas which can be affected.
‘We all know there’s this new variant on the market. We do not know sufficient about it but however from what we do know, the protections that we have now – particularly the vaccines – are massively necessary.
‘We are going to do no matter is important to guard the progress we have now made as a rustic.

NHS Check & Hint employees out in Brentwood Excessive Avenue this Sunday morning
‘We have come a good distance for the reason that summer time and we hold all of this beneath overview and if we have to take additional motion, we are going to.’
Mr Javid mentioned anybody who has travelled within the final 10 days to the ten international locations now on the purple listing, they have to self-isolate and take PCR checks.
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty mentioned: ‘We are going to proceed to work carefully with the worldwide group to shortly collect and analyse info on this variant to grasp any attainable improve in transmissibility or resistance to vaccines.’
Consultants warned Britain may face restrictions being reintroduced within the nation this Christmas however the Prime Minister hopes journey bans may stop the necessity for one more lockdown.
Professor Whitty beforehand mentioned he fears Britons is not going to settle for one other nationwide lockdown to combat off the variant over the winter due to ‘behavioural fatigue’ attributable to two years of restrictions.
And Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, one of many Oxford scientists behind the AstraZeneca vaccine, expressed cautious optimism that present vaccines could possibly be efficient at stopping severe illness from the variant.
He instructed BBC Radio 4’s Right now programme: ‘That tells you that regardless of these mutations present in different variants the vaccines have continued to stop severe illness as we have moved by Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta.
‘Not less than from a speculative perspective we have now some optimism that the vaccine ought to nonetheless work in opposition to a brand new variant for severe illness however actually we have to wait a number of weeks to have that confirmed.
‘It is extraordinarily unlikely {that a} reboot of a pandemic in a vaccinated inhabitants like we noticed final 12 months goes to occur.’
Prof Pollard mentioned a brand new vaccine to fight Omicron may start ‘very quickly’ if required.
‘The processes of how one goes about growing a brand new vaccine are more and more well-oiled, so if it is wanted that’s one thing that could possibly be moved very quickly.’
South African consultants yesterday additionally tried to calm the wave of panic over the variant, describing it as a ‘storm in a tea cup’.
In the meantime, British vaccine process power member Sir John Edmunds mentioned journey bans is not going to hold the brand new variant away from British shores however may delay a possible surge in instances past the festive interval to guard the NHS from additional stress.
Consultants nonetheless have insisted there may be ‘no believable situation’ by which Omicron will take the UK again to ‘sq. one’, and referred to as for ‘calm heads’ regardless of the halting of flights from southern Africa.
‘We’re nowhere close to full lockdown’: Sajid Javid scrambles to chill alarm over ‘super-mutant’ Omicron Covid pressure saying it is ‘going to be a GREAT Christmas’ – as new PCR guidelines for travellers and obligatory masks for outlets and trains begin on TUESDAY
BY JAMES TAPSFIELD FOR MAILONLINE
Sajid Javid at the moment insisted it’s ‘going to be a terrific Christmas’ and the UK is ‘nowhere close to’ correct lockdown as he desperately tried to chill panic regardless of a 3rd case of the brand new Omicron Covid variant being recognized within the nation.
A person carrying the ‘super-mutant’ pressure visited London, however has since left Britain once more, the federal government has introduced.
The information got here hours after the Well being Secretary mentioned the federal government was taking ‘proportionate and balanced’ precautions to ‘purchase time’, confirming that masks will likely be obligatory once more in retailers and on public transport from Tuesday.
Based on a message on the passenger locator type part of the Authorities’s web site, day two checks for arrivals within the UK may even have to be PCRs moderately than lateral flows from 4am on Tuesday.
However Mr Javid confused there is no such thing as a certainty that the ‘super-mutant’ pressure will have the ability to dodge vaccines, or to what extent that would occur.
And requested whether or not there could possibly be a return of even more durable curbs resembling social distancing, he mentioned there the federal government is ‘nowhere close to’ that.
Urging folks to maintain planning for the festive season as they’ve been, Mr Javid instructed Sky Information: ‘It should be a terrific Christmas.’
Mr Javid mentioned the federal government will think about updating the recognised signs for Covid, after being instructed on the BBC’s Andrew Marr present that reviews in southern Africa recommended folks didn’t lose sense of scent or style and suffered extra fatigue.
‘We are going to after all if we have to,’ he mentioned.
The reassurance effort got here after Boris Johnson introduced modifications to testing and isolation guidelines, and necessary masks in retailers and on trains in a bid to stop the unfold of the extremely transmissible new variant.
At a hastily-arranged Downing Avenue press convention final night time the PM painted a grim image of the potential risk from the brand new ‘super-mutant’ pressure – admitting he can not assure Christmas will go forward as hoped.
Mr Johnson put unlocking in reverse as he prolonged journey bans, imposing day-two PCR checks for arrivals in Britain, and making facemasks obligatory in retailers and on trains.
All arrivals to the nation should self-isolate till they get a unfavorable end result from a gold-standard check – which may establish these carrying Omicron.
All contacts of individuals contaminated with the variant should keep at house for 10 days.
Mr Javid mentioned this morning he hopes additional measures will likely be ‘short-term’, including he thinks folks will ‘take this extra critically’.
Chatting with Trevor Phillips On Sunday on Sky Information, Sajid Javid mentioned: ‘Doing it on this proportionate approach the place it is for public transport, it is for stores, I believe is the correct stage of response on masks.
‘It will likely be by way of Authorities regulation and which means, I believe, that individuals will take it critically.’
Pressed on whether or not folks will following the foundations on masks, Mr Javid mentioned following the information of a brand new variant: ‘I do suppose folks will take this extra critically.’
Mr Javid added: ‘It is necessary, I believe, to behave in a proportionate approach and in addition in a brief approach.
In different dramatic developments at the moment:
- Professor Neil Ferguson has mentioned he helps the federal government’s response and Omicron is prone to unfold comparatively slowly, however ministers ought to hold all choices on the desk to regulate the illness;
- Cardiff Rugby has mentioned the workforce is unable to go away South Africa after two constructive instances of Covid-19, considered one of which is ‘suspected to be the brand new variant Omicron’;
- South African medics have reported that the signs of the brand new variant seem like ‘gentle to reasonable’, and sufferers usually tend to be fatigued than lose sense of scent.
‘I hope that is one thing that we will take away inside weeks. However I do suppose by way of making progress, we wish life to return in direction of regular, however at this cut-off date, given what we learn about this variant, and the knowledgeable recommendation that has been obtained, I believe it’s proper to take some proportionate and balanced motion.’
On the festive season he mentioned: ‘I believe it is truthful to say that the character of this pandemic is it could be irresponsible to make ensures.
‘As for Christmas, I believe folks ought to proceed with their plans as regular for Christmas, I believe it should be a terrific Christmas.’
Mr Javid performed down the prospects of reintroducing working from house or social distancing measures to fight coronavirus.
‘We all know now these sorts of measures do carry a really heavy value, each economically, socially, by way of non-Covid well being outcomes resembling affect on psychological well being,’ he mentioned.
‘So, if one was to make choices like that they must be accomplished very, very rigorously and we’re not there but, we’re nowhere close to that.’
Mr Javid mentioned he’s anticipating to get recommendation on broadening the booster programme from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation ‘imminently’.
He mentioned getting a vaccine is now much more necessary.
‘We all know that vaccines work. Sure, this new variant could make it much less efficient or not,’ he mentioned.
‘However the vaccines work, they’re our first type of defence and that’s the reason I’ve additionally requested our knowledgeable advisers on vaccines referred to as JCVI to present me very fast recommendation on broadening boosting our booster programme.
‘I count on to get that recommendation imminently. That is all about performing swiftly in a proportionate and balanced approach to shield the progress that we have now made.’
Authorities modelling knowledgeable Neil Ferguson – often known as ‘Professor Lockdown’ – mentioned he expects to see ‘considerably bigger numbers’ of the Omicron variant within the coming days within the UK.
He instructed BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend programme: ‘We along with the Netherlands … we are the two European international locations with the most important variety of passenger flights to and from South Africa, so it is probably we’ll detect fairly much more instances within the coming days.’
He mentioned he backs the brand new measures introduced by the Authorities as ‘proportionate’ to sluggish the unfold of the brand new variant through the ‘ready recreation’ over the following two weeks as scientists analyse its properties.
Prof Ferguson added: ‘Even when we had 100 or extra instances seeded into the nation and even whether it is rising fairly shortly, it is going to take actually till January for it to achieve ranges that are wherever close to the degrees we’re getting from Delta for the time being.
‘That is to not say we could be complacent, if we do see very fast progress of Omicron – and that is a giant if for the time being, and we have now no assure we are going to – but when we do then, undoubtedly, I believe the Authorities could be clever to maintain all choices on the desk by way of how to answer that.’
Two instances of the pressure have been detected in Nottingham and Brentwood in Essex. Each are linked to journey to southern Africa, the suspected origin of the mutation.
The contaminated people and all members of their households have been instructed to self-isolate after the UK Well being Safety Company confirmed the sequencing.
It marks the primary time since final winter that restrictions have been tightened in England – though Scotland and Wales have beforehand responded to spiking an infection charges.
The premier mentioned the measures will likely be reviewed in three weeks, and within the meantime the booster jab marketing campaign will likely be ramped up.
The Welsh Authorities and the Scottish authorities are mirroring the restrictions on worldwide journey, and warning they might go even additional.
The modifications don’t fairly go so far as the formal ‘Plan B’ outlined by the federal government in the summertime, as Mr Johnson stopped wanting bringing again orders to earn a living from home the place attainable and introducing vaccine passports.
However the PM refused to rule out a Christmas lockdown when pressed by reporters, warning that Omicron ‘diverges fairly considerably’ from different Covid variants and that it’s going to ‘cut back the protections of our vaccines over time’.
He was solely keen to offer a lukewarm dedication that the festive season will likely be ‘higher’ than final 12 months.
Sir Patrick additionally warned that the UK could must ‘face up’ to the opportunity of additional restrictions if the Omicron variant could be very transmissible.
And Prof Whitty mentioned the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will now must resolve whether or not to increase the booster vaccine right down to adults age 18, and whether or not a second dose ought to be supplied to kids aged 12-15 who determined with their households to get the primary dose of the vaccine.
Amid a frantic hunt for extra readability on the character of the risk, the South African physician who first raised the alarm on Omicron has revealed that sufferers are presenting with ‘uncommon’ signs.
Dr Angelique Coetzee, who runs a non-public observe within the South African administrative capital of Pretoria, mentioned she first seen earlier this month that Covid sufferers had been presenting with a number of strange signs.
The physician, who has practised for over 30 years and chairs the South African Medical Affiliation, mentioned that not one of the Omicron sufferers suffered from a lack of style of scent usually related to Covid, however as an alternative introduced with uncommon markers like intense fatigue and a excessive pulse price.
‘Their signs had been so totally different and so gentle from these I had handled earlier than,’ Dr Coetzee instructed The Telegraph.
She was compelled to tell South Africa’s vaccine advisory board on November 18 when she handled a household of 4, all of whom had been struggling with intense fatigue after testing constructive for Covid-19.
Milder signs amongst South African sufferers won’t imply Britons have the identical expertise, as demographics and different elements have beforehand appeared to have a significant affect on the course of the pandemic in particular person international locations.
One other 39,567 Covid instances had been recorded within the UK yesterday – down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 posted final Saturday – whereas the quantity of people that have died inside 28 days of testing constructive for Covid fell by 12.7 per cent from 150 final week to 131.
The EU, US and Canada all adopted Britain’s transfer to impose journey restrictions on guests from southern Africa forward of the WHO including the pressure, also called B.1.1.529, to its highest class for regarding variants.
Britain’s first two Omicron infections got here as a spate of instances had been discovered throughout Europe, with a minimum of 61 new instances of Covid getting into the Netherlands from South Africa this morning. Authorities are at the moment sequencing the checks for the brand new variant.
Europe’s first case of the variant was noticed in Belgium yesterday – regardless of the unvaccinated lady who caught it having travelled to Turkey and Egypt. Germany and the Czech Republic each confirmed suspected instances at the moment.
Germany’s preliminary sequencing suggests a traveller from South Africa was carrying the virus with a number of mutations shared by Omicron. Officers are awaiting full sequencing later at the moment. Australian authorities – who additionally banned journey to 9 international locations within the area – concern the variant could have already entered the nation.
The US chief medical officer Dr Anthony Fauci mentioned he would ‘not be shocked’ if the Omicron Covid variant was already in America. His feedback got here as President Joe Biden was slammed for nonetheless permitting flights from South Africa to land within the US earlier than the beginning of a journey ban on Monday.

Boris Johnson speaks throughout a press convention after instances of the brand new variant had been confirmed in the UK

Boris Johnson was final night time solely keen to offer a lukewarm dedication that the festive season will likely be ‘higher’ than final 12 months’s as he put Covid unlocking in reverse by saying new restrictions

NOTTINGHAM: One case of Omicron has been present in Nottingham, the place infections have been creeping up steadily in current weeks in keeping with the nationwide image

BRENTWOOD: The opposite case was present in Brentwood, Essex, which has seen a broadly comparable development, recording 67 new instances on Wednesday

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid instances yesterday, greater than double the 1,374 recorded final Thursday, however an infection ranges have but to skyrocket and no hospitalisations with the brand new variant have occurred to date. Graph exhibits: The seven-day common for instances within the nation

Cautious that many on the Conservative backbenches will likely be angered by the reimposition of restrictions, Mr Johnson mentioned: ‘I very a lot hope that we are going to discover that we proceed to be in a robust place and we will raise these measures once more, however proper now that is the accountable plan of action to decelerate the seeding and the unfold of this new variant and to maximise our defences in order that we shield the positive aspects we have labored for therefore arduous.’
4 extra international locations – Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola – had been added to the purple listing from 4am this morning, which means solely British residents can come to this nation, they usually have to remain in a quarantine lodge.
South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia had been placed on the banned roster yesterday amid rising worldwide panic in regards to the ‘variant of concern’, which scientists concern is extra transmissible and may dodge vaccines.
The Prime Minister mentioned: ‘We’re not going to cease folks travelling, I wish to stress that, we’re not going to cease folks travelling, however we would require anybody who enters the UK to take a PCR check by the tip of the second day after their arrival and to self-isolate till they’ve a unfavorable end result.
‘Second, we have to decelerate the unfold of this variant right here within the UK, as a result of measures on the border can solely ever minimise and delay the arrival of a brand new variant moderately than cease all of it collectively. We would require all contacts of those that check constructive with a suspected case of Omicron to self-isolate for 10 days no matter your vaccination standing. We may even go additional in asking all of you to assist comprise the unfold of this variant by tightening up the foundations on face coverings in retailers and on public transport.’
Mr Johnson mentioned border journey measures can ‘solely ever minimise and delay the arrival of a brand new variant moderately than cease all of it collectively’, so all contacts with a suspected case of the brand new variant should isolate for 10 days, no matter their vaccination standing.

He added the measures will likely be reviewed ‘in three weeks’, including: ‘At that time we must always have a lot larger details about the persevering with effectiveness of our vaccines.’
The prime minister instructed a Downing Avenue press convention: ‘We have to bolster our protections in opposition to this new variant.
‘We do not but precisely know the way efficient our vaccines will likely be in opposition to Omicron however we have now good causes for believing they’ll present a minimum of some measure of safety.
‘In case you’re boosted, your response is prone to be stronger so it is extra very important than ever that individuals get their jabs and we get these boosters into arms as quick as attainable.
‘From at the moment we will enhance the booster marketing campaign, we’re already planning on doing six million jabs in England alone over the following three weeks and now we’re seeking to go additional. The Well being Secretary has requested the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) to contemplate giving boosters to as broad a gaggle as attainable in addition to lowering the hole between your second dose and your booster.’
The Prime Minister admitted the newest restrictions on journey ‘sound powerful’, however added: ‘That is the best way it is obtained to be.’
In response to a query about whether or not the Authorities may have moved quicker to shut borders to guard the nation from the brand new Omicron variant, Mr Johnson mentioned: ‘I actually do not know the way we may’ve acted quicker.
‘We obtained the information out about it on Thursday and we put numerous southern African international locations on the purple listing yesterday, and a few extra at the moment.’
However the introduction of obligatory PCR checks for Covid-19 for everybody arriving within the UK has been described as a ‘enormous blow’ for the journey trade.
Abta, a commerce affiliation for tour operators and journey brokers within the UK, mentioned the added price of testing for all arrivals to the UK will have an effect on buyer demand for holidays, including stress to an trade which has been among the many ‘hardest hit’ through the pandemic.
‘Whereas Abta understands that this can be a quickly evolving scenario and public well being should come first, the choice to require all arrivals to take a PCR check and self-isolate till a unfavorable result’s returned is a large blow for journey companies, lots of whom had been solely simply beginning to get again on their toes after 20 months of extreme restrictions,’ an Abta spokesman mentioned.
‘These modifications will add price to folks’s holidays, which can undoubtedly affect shopper demand and maintain again the trade’s restoration, so it is important that this resolution is saved beneath cautious overview and restrictions are lifted promptly if it turns into clear there may be not a threat to the UK vaccination programme.
‘The Authorities should additionally now think about providing tailor-made assist for journey companies, which have been amongst the toughest hit through the pandemic.’
Which? journey editor Rory Boland mentioned travellers will perceive the necessity for restrictions, however the personal testing trade which they should depend on ‘is not match for goal’.
‘Testing corporations have struggled to offer checks on time over the previous 12 months, so it’s arduous to trust they’ll have the ability to address this spike in demand at brief discover,’ he mentioned.
‘Now that the Authorities has taken the choice to make PCR checks necessary, it should take steps to correctly regulate {the marketplace} and implement the CMA’s (Competitors and Markets Authority) suggestions so that buyers can trust they’re reserving with a supplier they will depend on.’
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has mentioned the Authorities’s resolution to impose tighter restrictions on face masks is ‘welcome’.
He tweeted that the announcement on obligatory face coverings was ‘welcome’.
‘Proof exhibits they assist cease the virus spreading, and this can be a measure I’ve repeatedly urged the Authorities to take.’
Larger Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham wrote on Twitter: ‘That is proper however exhibits why they should not have been relaxed.
‘It is going to now be more durable, and take longer, to get ranges of compliance as much as the place we’d like them to be.’
Sir Patrick mentioned vaccine makers are already taking a look at how they will make them more practical in opposition to rising variants, and {that a} jab designed to particularly goal the Omicron variant could possibly be created in ‘about 100 days’.
He instructed the Downing Avenue press convention: ‘I believe it is necessary to recognise there are 3 ways by which this may be accomplished and the businesses are eager about this. The primary is the boosters will give excessive sufficient antibody protection that really that is going to be sufficient to cowl this. That is the primary scenario and must be examined. However that appears like one thing that anyway goes to present safety, whether or not there’s extra wanted on high of that we’ll should see.
‘The second is that vaccine producers have been producing broader vaccines anyway to get broader protection throughout potential new variants. So these are within the pipeline.
‘Then a few corporations have already mentioned they might tweak their present vaccines and get a brand new vaccine out particularly in opposition to this in about 100 days.
‘These are the type of three situations, clearly the one which is the one to essentially go for now’s enhance, as a result of it’s the case that as you retain boosting the vaccine, you get barely broader protection as a result of the immune system is aware of it must get broader.
‘As a result of the antibody ranges are so excessive, it truly causes sufficient protection of different variants to be efficient.’
He added it’s anticipated the variant will unfold.
Sir Patrick added: ‘I believe we’ll get extra info on transmissibility, we’ll get extra info on the flexibility of the vaccines to guard in opposition to the virus, however that is going to take a little bit little bit of time. In the meanwhile, the fashions are extra ‘if it spreads very quick, after all it should unfold very quick and go into a whole lot of locations, and if it spreads much less quick it is going to take action much less’.
‘But when it’s totally transmissible and does trigger large escape, then clearly that is a significant challenge we have now to withstand. However that is not what we all know for the time being, we have to get that info.’
In an announcement this afternoon, Mr Javid mentioned: ‘Right now I can announce one factor that we’re doing instantly is finishing up focused testing and sequencing of constructive instances within the two areas which can be affected.
‘We all know there’s this new variant on the market. We do not know sufficient about it but however from what we do know, the protections that we have now – particularly the vaccines – are massively necessary.
‘We are going to do no matter is important to guard the progress we have now made as a rustic.
‘We have come a good distance for the reason that summer time and we hold all of this beneath overview and if we have to take additional motion, we are going to.’
Mr Javid mentioned anybody who has travelled within the final 10 days to the ten international locations now on the purple listing, they have to self-isolate and take PCR checks.
Professor Whitty mentioned: ‘We are going to proceed to work carefully with the worldwide group to shortly collect and analyse info on this variant to grasp any attainable improve in transmissibility or resistance to vaccines.’

This chart exhibits the proportion of instances that had been the B.1.1.529 variant (blue) and Indian ‘Delta’ variant (purple) over time in Guateng province in South Africa, the place the virus is most prevalent. It means that the mutant pressure may outcompete Delta within the province inside weeks

A KLM Dutch Airliner from Johannesburg in South Africa sits at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam after passengers had been taken off and quarantined as a part of efforts to stop the unfold of the brand new Omicron variant

Purple Cross well being employees transport passengers contaminated with coronavirus coming back from South Africa for a quarantine in a lodge in Schiphol, the Netherlands, at the moment
Was new Covid variant named Omicron to keep away from angering Beijing? WHO selected to skip TWO letters of Greek alphabet to keep away from ‘Xi’ which has written similarity to Chinese language president Xi Jinping
The connection between China and the World Well being Organisation has come beneath renewed scrutiny after the UN physique appeared to skip over the Greek letter ‘Xi’ and name the brand new Covid variant ‘Omicron’ as an alternative.
Final night time the WHO sparked criticism from China hawks after it named the mutation ‘Omicron’ as an alternative of ‘Nu’ or ‘Xi’.
The UN physique has been utilizing Greek letters resembling ‘Alpha’, ‘Beta’ and ‘Delta’ to explain the variants, saying on its web site it could ‘be simpler and extra sensible to be mentioned by non-scientific audiences’.
Nonetheless, its resolution to call the variant from southern Africa ‘Omicron’ has sparked hypothesis that the WHO intentionally omitted ‘Xi’ to keep away from angering the President of China, Xi Jinping.

President Xi is alleged to have important affect over WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former Ethiopian minister whose nation has been a significant recipient of Chinese language funding
President Xi is alleged to have important affect over WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former Ethiopian minister whose nation has been a significant recipient of Chinese language funding.
Tedros has been accused of utilizing his position to make additional appointments that had been preferable to Beijing, together with making Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe a goodwill ambassador.
The Chinese language authorities has been accused of utilizing an ‘aggressive’ affect marketing campaign on the WHO’s response to the preliminary Covid outbreak which led to it lacking its probability to cease the pandemic. It is usually alleged that the UN physique’s independence was eroded previous to the worldwide unfold of the virus in early 2020.
Donald Trump Jr wrote on Twitter: ‘So far as I am involved the unique will at all times be the Xi variant.’