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| Covid: Third case of Omicron variant detected in the UK | Covid: Third case of Omicron variant detected in the UK |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A third case of the Omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency has said. | A third case of the Omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency has said. |
| It said the case was found in a person who had visited the Westminster area of London but who is no longer in the UK. | |
| The individual is linked to travel to southern Africa, where Omicron was first identified. | |
| It is "very likely" more cases will be found in the coming days case through "focused contact tracing", the agency added. | |
| Testing is being carried out at locations the individual visited, the UKHSA said. | Testing is being carried out at locations the individual visited, the UKHSA said. |
| Early evidence suggests the new variant - first reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on Wednesday - has a higher re-infection risk. | Early evidence suggests the new variant - first reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on Wednesday - has a higher re-infection risk. |
| The first UK cases were confirmed on Saturday in Brentwood, Essex and Nottingham. Officials said the cases were linked and connected to travel in southern Africa. | The first UK cases were confirmed on Saturday in Brentwood, Essex and Nottingham. Officials said the cases were linked and connected to travel in southern Africa. |
| How worrying is the new Covid variant? | How worrying is the new Covid variant? |
| Shoppers asked to respect new mandatory mask rules | |
| How are England's Covid rules changing because of Omicron? | How are England's Covid rules changing because of Omicron? |
| Omicron: Will new measures against variant work? | Omicron: Will new measures against variant work? |
| Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UKHSA, said: "Our advanced sequencing capabilities enable us to find variants and take rapid action to limit onward spread. | Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UKHSA, said: "Our advanced sequencing capabilities enable us to find variants and take rapid action to limit onward spread. |
| "We are continuing our efforts to understand the effect of this variant on transmissibility, severe disease, mortality, antibody response and vaccine efficacy. | "We are continuing our efforts to understand the effect of this variant on transmissibility, severe disease, mortality, antibody response and vaccine efficacy. |
| "It's critical that anyone with Covid-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant." | "It's critical that anyone with Covid-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant." |
| Prof Neil Ferguson - a key government adviser on the pandemic - said "it's likely we'll detect quite a lot more cases in the coming days" because the UK is among the countries to see the largest number of flights from South Africa, where the variant is circulating. | |
| The government has announced that face masks will be compulsory in shops and on public transport in England, and UK arrivals are expected to have to take PCR tests from Tuesday in response to the new variant. | The government has announced that face masks will be compulsory in shops and on public transport in England, and UK arrivals are expected to have to take PCR tests from Tuesday in response to the new variant. |
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| Watch: The health secretary says mask wearing in shops and public transport in England will be a legal requirement | |
| Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the government had acted "swiftly" and "in a proportionate way". | |
| One change has already been implemented. Ten countries in southern Africa are now on the UK's travel red list. | |
| That was applied from 04:00 GMT on Sunday, meaning that until further notice any British or Irish residents arriving in the UK after recently visiting any of those countries will have to quarantine in an approved hotel for 10 days. | That was applied from 04:00 GMT on Sunday, meaning that until further notice any British or Irish residents arriving in the UK after recently visiting any of those countries will have to quarantine in an approved hotel for 10 days. |
| Residents from the countries themselves will not be allowed into the UK until the red list status changes. | Residents from the countries themselves will not be allowed into the UK until the red list status changes. |
| But the government has stopped short of issuing advice to work from home and extending vaccine passports in England, which are part of its Plan B for winter - a contingency plan if intervention on Covid is needed to protect the NHS. | |
| A wake-up call to get vaccinated | |
| South Africa has a young population and it is encouraging that doctors there are reporting that Omicron is causing mild symptoms with no increase in hospital admissions. | |
| But we need to see what happens when the variant moves into older age groups who are the most vulnerable to Covid. | |
| We also need to see what happens when Omicron comes up against the fully immunised, and those who have had a third booster shot. So far the vaccines have proved highly effective at giving strong protections against severe illness from all variants. | |
| If the vaccines prevent people falling seriously ill with Omicron then some breakthrough infections, while unwelcome, will not be disastrous. | |
| As long, of course, as people are already vaccinated. If anything, this is a wake-up call for those yet to be vaccinated to come forward and get the jab. | |
| Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the new measures temporary and precautionary - and said they would be reviewed in three weeks, just before most schools break up for the Christmas holidays. | |
| Labour has called for full implementation of Plan B and for improved sick pay to encourage self-isolation. | |
| Under the rules: | |
| Everyone entering the UK (other than those coming from the Common Travel Area that covers the Channel Islands and Ireland) will have to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and self-isolate until they receive a negative result | |
| All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate, regardless of whether or not they are fully vaccinated | |
| Face coverings will be made compulsory in shops and on public transport - but pubs and restaurants are exempt | |
| The health secretary has asked advisers to consider rapidly extending boosters, including reducing the gap between the second dose of the vaccine and the booster | |
| In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, face coverings are already mandatory on public transport and many indoor areas. | |
| Meanwhile, adults aged 18 and over "will have an offer of a booster earlier than we had previously envisaged", the deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation told BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House. | |
| Professor Anthony Harnden said: "There is a very good, strong argument for raising the antibody level in the whole of the community. So accelerating the booster programme both by extending the age range and by reducing the interval between the second dose and the booster dose, would be a sensible strategy." | |
| The average number of daily confirmed Covid cases in the UK began rising again in early November. A further 37,681 confirmed cases were announced on Sunday. | The average number of daily confirmed Covid cases in the UK began rising again in early November. A further 37,681 confirmed cases were announced on Sunday. |
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