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| Covid: All UK adults to be offered booster jab | Covid: All UK adults to be offered booster jab |
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| Jonathan Van-Tam: Omicron variant ''not all doom and gloom'' | Jonathan Van-Tam: Omicron variant ''not all doom and gloom'' |
| Covid booster jabs are to be offered to all over-18s to help stop a potential wave driven by the new variant Omicron. | Covid booster jabs are to be offered to all over-18s to help stop a potential wave driven by the new variant Omicron. |
| The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation made a series of recommendations to widen the UK booster rollout "before any possible wave". | The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation made a series of recommendations to widen the UK booster rollout "before any possible wave". |
| They also said the minimum gap between the second dose and booster in the UK should be reduced to three months. | They also said the minimum gap between the second dose and booster in the UK should be reduced to three months. |
| And they recommended children aged 12 to 15 should be invited for a second dose three months after their first. | And they recommended children aged 12 to 15 should be invited for a second dose three months after their first. |
| Early evidence suggests Omicron has a higher re-infection risk, but it is not yet known how it impacts on the effectiveness of vaccines. | Early evidence suggests Omicron has a higher re-infection risk, but it is not yet known how it impacts on the effectiveness of vaccines. |
| The government has announced new rules on self-isolation and that face masks will be compulsory in shops and on public transport in England from 04:00 GMT on Tuesday in an effort to contain the spread of the variant. Eleven cases of Omicron have now been detected in the UK. | The government has announced new rules on self-isolation and that face masks will be compulsory in shops and on public transport in England from 04:00 GMT on Tuesday in an effort to contain the spread of the variant. Eleven cases of Omicron have now been detected in the UK. |
| England's deputy chief medical officer Prof Jonathan Van-Tam told a Downing Street briefing that Omicron was the "new kid on the block" and it has "always been the case that, at some point, we are going to get a variant that gives us heightened concern". | England's deputy chief medical officer Prof Jonathan Van-Tam told a Downing Street briefing that Omicron was the "new kid on the block" and it has "always been the case that, at some point, we are going to get a variant that gives us heightened concern". |
| LIVE UPDATES: Booster jabs accelerated | LIVE UPDATES: Booster jabs accelerated |
| When can I get my booster and how do I book it? | When can I get my booster and how do I book it? |
| How worrying is the new Covid variant? | How worrying is the new Covid variant? |
| Covid variants: Do we need new vaccines yet? | Covid variants: Do we need new vaccines yet? |
| Prof Wei Shen Lim, chair of the JCVI, said he was not predicting the new variant would take hold in the UK but the experts wanted to be in the best possible position if there was an increase in infection. | Prof Wei Shen Lim, chair of the JCVI, said he was not predicting the new variant would take hold in the UK but the experts wanted to be in the best possible position if there was an increase in infection. |
| He said: "With any vaccine during a pandemic, we get the greatest benefit for individuals and society if the vaccine is deployed before the wave starts. We want to provide boosters early enough." | He said: "With any vaccine during a pandemic, we get the greatest benefit for individuals and society if the vaccine is deployed before the wave starts. We want to provide boosters early enough." |
| In its advice, the JCVI also recommended severely immunosuppressed people should be offered a fourth dose of the vaccine as a booster. They are currently receiving three jabs. | In its advice, the JCVI also recommended severely immunosuppressed people should be offered a fourth dose of the vaccine as a booster. They are currently receiving three jabs. |
| The experts said the booster rollout should take account of vulnerability. Boosters - either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines - should be offered in order of descending age groups, with priority given to those in a Covid at-risk group, they said. | The experts said the booster rollout should take account of vulnerability. Boosters - either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines - should be offered in order of descending age groups, with priority given to those in a Covid at-risk group, they said. |
| The JCVI's advice has been given to ministers in all parts of the UK. It only gives recommendations and the final decision on measures to combat Covid lies with the politicians. | The JCVI's advice has been given to ministers in all parts of the UK. It only gives recommendations and the final decision on measures to combat Covid lies with the politicians. |
| So far, ministers in England, Scotland and Wales have said they would follow the recommendations, and Northern Ireland is also expected to accept them. | |
| It added it would continue to review data on the potential benefits and risks of offering the Covid vaccine to children aged five to 11. | It added it would continue to review data on the potential benefits and risks of offering the Covid vaccine to children aged five to 11. |
| Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said a "through review" found it was safe for those aged 12 to 15 to have a second vaccine dose. | Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said a "through review" found it was safe for those aged 12 to 15 to have a second vaccine dose. |
| The aim of this announcement is to get ahead of a potential wave driven by the new variant Omicron. | The aim of this announcement is to get ahead of a potential wave driven by the new variant Omicron. |
| If that happens - and it is an "if" at this stage because so much is unknown about the new variant - giving more people a booster jab will certainly help. | If that happens - and it is an "if" at this stage because so much is unknown about the new variant - giving more people a booster jab will certainly help. |
| While Omicron may make the vaccines less effective, the booster dose has been shown to significantly increase the immune response, which will help counter any advantages this variant may have. | While Omicron may make the vaccines less effective, the booster dose has been shown to significantly increase the immune response, which will help counter any advantages this variant may have. |
| But that will only happen if the vaccine is in people's arms. The NHS is doing about 2.5 million boosters a week on average at the moment. At that rate it will take three months to vaccinate all those eligible. | But that will only happen if the vaccine is in people's arms. The NHS is doing about 2.5 million boosters a week on average at the moment. At that rate it will take three months to vaccinate all those eligible. |
| Increasing that will not be easy. About 50 mass vaccination centres have closed since the spring. Many GPs have also stepped back to concentrate on flu jabs and their day-to-day work. | Increasing that will not be easy. About 50 mass vaccination centres have closed since the spring. Many GPs have also stepped back to concentrate on flu jabs and their day-to-day work. |
| It means the solution is likely to lie in extending the opening hours of current vaccination clinics late into the evenings and bringing in extra staff and volunteers to help. | It means the solution is likely to lie in extending the opening hours of current vaccination clinics late into the evenings and bringing in extra staff and volunteers to help. |
| The UK Health Security Agency said the latest two cases of the Omicron variant to be detected in the UK have links to travel in southern Africa, where infections have been circulating. They were found in the Camden and Wandsworth areas of London. | The UK Health Security Agency said the latest two cases of the Omicron variant to be detected in the UK have links to travel in southern Africa, where infections have been circulating. They were found in the Camden and Wandsworth areas of London. |
| In the Commons, Health Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs they would be given a chance to debate and vote on the face masks and isolation rule changes. | In the Commons, Health Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs they would be given a chance to debate and vote on the face masks and isolation rule changes. |
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| Sajid Javid on Omicron numbers in the UK: "We expect cases to rise in coming days." | Sajid Javid on Omicron numbers in the UK: "We expect cases to rise in coming days." |
| He said: "If it emerges that this variant is no more dangerous than the Delta variant, then we won't keep measures in place for a day longer than necessary. | He said: "If it emerges that this variant is no more dangerous than the Delta variant, then we won't keep measures in place for a day longer than necessary. |
| "Our experience of fighting this virus has shown us it's best to act decisively and swiftly when we see a potential threat. Which is why we're building our defences and putting these measures in place without delay." | "Our experience of fighting this virus has shown us it's best to act decisively and swiftly when we see a potential threat. Which is why we're building our defences and putting these measures in place without delay." |
| The average number of daily confirmed Covid cases in the UK began rising again in early November. A further 42,583 confirmed cases were announced on Monday. | The average number of daily confirmed Covid cases in the UK began rising again in early November. A further 42,583 confirmed cases were announced on Monday. |
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