Eight things we learned from the prime minister's briefing
Prime minister Boris Johnson announced the return of restrictions from next week following the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. - Credit: PA Wire
Prime minister Boris Johnson has confirmed restrictions will return from Tuesday.
In a press conference on Saturday evening, Mr Johnson announced the plans to try and reduce the spread of the new Omicron variant which has recently been found in the UK.
Here are eight key things learned from the press briefing.
1. Face masks will be compulsory in shops and on public transport in England from next week.
2. Anyone entering the UK from any destination abroad will have to take a PCR test two days after arrival and self-isolate until they have a negative result.
3. Anyone who has been in close contact with a case of Omicron will have to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.
4. The new measures will be reviewed within three weeks.
5. The two cases discovered in the UK were part of the same outbreak and are in Essex and Nottingham.
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6. Omicron can be spread between people who are double vaccinated.
7. The variant has an “extensive” mutation which means in may “at least in part” reduce the protection of the vaccine over time, the PM said.
8. Omicron “really changes the risk/benefit calculations” for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation regarding recommending vaccines to younger children, meaning children under 12 could soon be eligible.
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