This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59639007
The article has changed 26 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 4 | Version 5 |
---|---|
Covid: First UK death recorded with Omicron variant | Covid: First UK death recorded with Omicron variant |
(32 minutes later) | |
This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. |
Boris Johnson confirms a patient has died with Omicron in UK | Boris Johnson confirms a patient has died with Omicron in UK |
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. |
On Monday, Mr Johnson said people needed to recognise "the sheer pace at which [Omicron] accelerates through the population". | On Monday, Mr Johnson said people needed to recognise "the sheer pace at which [Omicron] accelerates through the population". |
How do I book my vaccine booster? | How do I book my vaccine booster? |
Is a million boosters a day achievable? And other questions | Is a million boosters a day achievable? And other questions |
Johnson: I broke no rules over Christmas parties | Johnson: I broke no rules over Christmas parties |
What are the new Covid rules across the UK? | What are the new Covid rules across the UK? |
The NHS website crashed on Monday after more than 110,000 people tried to book their booster before 09:00 GMT, the government said. | |
There have also been long queues at walk-in centres and new orders for lateral flow tests on the government website have been temporarily suspended due to high demand. | There have also been long queues at walk-in centres and new orders for lateral flow tests on the government website have been temporarily suspended due to high demand. |
The prime minister said there were still "ample supplies" of tests for people to collect from pharmacies. | The prime minister said there were still "ample supplies" of tests for people to collect from pharmacies. |
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. | 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. |
On Monday, the UK Health Security Agency confirmed 10 people had been admitted to hospital in England with the Omicron variant. | |
Their ages ranged from 18 to 85 years old and the majority had received two doses of a Covid vaccination, the agency said. | |
There have been long queues at some walk-in vaccination centres | There have been long queues at some walk-in vaccination centres |
As well as the expansion of boosters, new Plan B measures have been introduced in England to slow the spread of Omicron: | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 a Commons vote on Tuesday, particularly mandatory Covid passes. | Around 70 Conservative MPs have signalled they could oppose some of the new measures in a Commons vote on Tuesday, particularly mandatory Covid passes. |
However, Labour has said it will back the plans, so they will almost certainly be approved. | However, Labour has said it will back the plans, so they will almost certainly be approved. |
The prime minister has repeatedly declined to rule out further restrictions ahead of Christmas. | The prime minister has repeatedly declined to rule out further restrictions ahead of Christmas. |
The prime minister visited a vaccination clinic in west London on Monday | 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. | 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. | A third booster dose gives around 70% to 75% protection against symptomatic infection with Omicron, analysis by the UK Health Security Agency found. |
Earlier, Health Secretary Sajid Javid 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. | 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. | 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. |
To reach the government's boosters target, one million doses would have to be administered a day. | To reach the government's boosters target, one million doses would have to be administered a day. |
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. | 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. |
Some 750 armed forces personnel have been made available to support the booster rollout in England and Scotland. | Some 750 armed forces personnel have been made available to support the booster rollout in England and Scotland. |
And England's deputy chief medical officer Prof Jonathan Van-Tam has written to everyone who previously volunteered to help the vaccine rollout to encourage them to return to help with the booster programme. | And England's deputy chief medical officer Prof Jonathan Van-Tam has written to everyone who previously volunteered to help the vaccine rollout to encourage them to return to help with the booster programme. |
Scotland is also aiming to offer booster vaccine appointments to all over-18s by the end of the year, while Wales is trying to ramp up its rollout to meet the same target. In Northern Ireland, over-30s are now eligible for booster jabs. | Scotland is also aiming to offer booster vaccine appointments to all over-18s by the end of the year, while Wales is trying to ramp up its rollout to meet the same target. In Northern Ireland, over-30s are now eligible for booster jabs. |
The UK recorded 48,854 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, as well as 52 deaths within 28 days of a positive test. | The UK recorded 48,854 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, as well as 52 deaths within 28 days of a positive test. |
WILL FUTURE WARS BE FOUGHT ENTIRELY BY MACHINES? Stuart Russell discusses the role of AI in conflicts | WILL FUTURE WARS BE FOUGHT ENTIRELY BY MACHINES? Stuart Russell discusses the role of AI in conflicts |
THE WEDDING DETECTIVES: Just two photos lead to a story of infidelity and murder | THE WEDDING DETECTIVES: Just two photos lead to a story of infidelity and murder |