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Covid: First UK death recorded with Omicron variant | Covid: First UK death recorded with Omicron variant |
(32 minutes later) | |
At least one person in the UK has died with the Omicron coronavirus variant, the prime minister has said. | At least one person in the UK has died with the Omicron coronavirus variant, the prime minister has said. |
Boris Johnson said the new variant was also resulting in hospital admissions and the "best thing" people could do was get their booster jab. | Boris Johnson said the new variant was also resulting in hospital admissions and the "best thing" people could do was get their booster jab. |
Visiting a vaccination clinic in London, he said people should set aside the idea Omicron was a milder variant. | Visiting a vaccination clinic in London, he said people should set aside the idea Omicron was a milder variant. |
On Sunday, the PM set a new target for all adults in England to be offered a booster by the end of the month. | On Sunday, the PM set a new target for all adults in England to be offered a booster by the end of the month. |
Speaking during a visit near Paddington, west London, Mr Johnson said: "Sadly yes, Omicron is producing hospitalisations and sadly at least one patient has been confirmed to have died with Omicron. | Speaking during a visit near Paddington, west London, Mr Johnson said: "Sadly yes, Omicron is producing hospitalisations and sadly at least one patient has been confirmed to have died with Omicron. |
"So I think the idea that this is somehow a milder version of the virus, I think that's something we need to set on one side and just recognise the sheer pace at which it accelerates through the population." | "So I think the idea that this is somehow a milder version of the virus, I think that's something we need to set on one side and just recognise the sheer pace at which it accelerates through the population." |
How do I book my vaccine booster? | How do I book my vaccine booster? |
PM’s message to sit up and pay attention | PM’s message to sit up and pay attention |
The NHS website crashed on Monday after more than 100,000 people tried to book their booster, the government said. | The NHS website crashed on Monday after more than 100,000 people tried to book their booster, the government said. |
There have also been long queues at walk-in centres and lateral flow test kits are unavailable on the government website after a rush to order them. | There have also been long queues at walk-in centres and lateral flow test kits are unavailable on the government website after a rush to order them. |
From Tuesday, people who are fully vaccinated will be advised to take daily tests if they are identified as a contact of someone who has Covid. | From Tuesday, people who are fully vaccinated will be advised to take daily tests if they are identified as a contact of someone who has Covid. |
Online bookings for boosters opened for over-30s on Monday, while 18 to 29-year-old will be able to book online from Wednesday. Over-18s can now also get their booster at some walk-in centres in England - as long as it has been three months since their second dose. | |
As well as the expansion of boosters, new Plan B measures have been introduced in England to slow the spread of Omicron. | |
People are being advised to work from home if they can, bringing England into line with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. | |
Rules on face masks have already been tightened and they are now mandatory in most indoor public places, including theatres and cinemas. | |
From Wednesday, subject to parliamentary approval, Covid passes will be required to get into nightclubs and other large venues. | |
Around 70 Conservative MPs have signalled they could oppose some of the new measures in Tuesday's Commons vote, particularly mandatory Covid passes. | |
However, Labour has said it will back the plans, so they will almost certainly be approved. | |
The prime minister visited a vaccination clinic in west London on Monday | |
The booster rollout has been accelerated in response to Omicron, after early analysis suggested two doses of a Covid vaccine were not enough to stop people catching the variant. | |
A third booster dose gives around 70% to 75% protection against symptomatic infection with Omicron, analysis by the UK Health Security Agency found. | |
Earlier on Monday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said 10 people were in hospital in England with the Omicron variant. | |
He said the UK was in a "race between the virus and the vaccine" and the NHS would be focusing on urgent appointments for a few weeks, with non-urgent treatment potentially delayed until the new year. | |
Data suggests Omicron is more transmissible than previous variants, with cases doubling in the UK every two to three days. | |
The UK's Covid alert level has been raised to level four - which means a high or rising level of transmission - for the first time since May due to the spread of Omicron. | |
More than half a million booster jabs and third doses were given in the UK on Saturday, the second day that has happened since the booster rollout began. | |
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