Face coverings mandatory from 30 November to fight new ‘Omicron’ variant of Covid-19

Temporary and precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant in the UK will come into force on Tuesday (30 November), the government has confirmed.

From 4am Tuesday, face coverings will be compulsory in shops and other settings such as banks, post offices and hairdressers, as well as on public transport unless individuals are exempt from doing so. All hospitality settings will be exempt.

A number of countries have been added to the red travel list, whilst anyone entering the UK will be required to take a PCR test.

All measures will be reviewed again in three weeks, the Prime Minister has confirmed.

He said: “The measures that we are taking today - including on our borders and face masks - are temporary and precautionary, and we will review them in three weeks.

“At that point we should have much greater information about the continuing effectiveness of our vaccines.

“I very much hope that we will find that we continue to be in a strong position, and we can lift these measures again.

“But right now this is the responsible course of action, to slow down the seeding and the spread of this new variant, and to maximise our defences so we protect the gains we have worked so hard for and so that we can continue to save lives.”

Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, added: “We will continue to work closely with the international community to quickly gather and analyse information on this variant to understand any possible increase in transmissibility or resistance to vaccines.

“It is important that everyone takes sensible precautions – get a PCR test if you have symptoms, isolate when asked, wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, ventilate rooms, get your vaccine and boosters as soon as you can.”

An urgent meeting of G7 health ministers will also be convened on Monday 29 November to discuss the developments on Omicron.

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Travelling

Whilst the government will not stop people from travelling, anyone who enters the UK will be required to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and to self-isolate until they have a negative result.

All contacts of those who test positive will be required to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status.

In a press conference, Boris Johnson said: “We are not going to stop people travelling, I want to stress that, we’re not going to stop people travelling, but we will require anyone who enters the UK to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival, and to self-isolate until they have a negative result.”

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Red travel list

Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola were added to the UK’s travel red list from 4am on Sunday 28 November.

South Africa, Botswana, Lesostho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibi were added to the red list on Friday 26 November.

Non-UK and Irish nationals and residents who have been in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola in the previous 10 days will be refused entry into England. This does not apply to those who have stayed airside and only transited through any of these countries while changing flights.

UK and Irish nationals and residents arriving from 4am Sunday 28 November must isolate in a government-approved facility for 10 days. During their stay, they will be required to take a coronavirus PCR test on day 2 and day 8.

These PCR tests can be purchased from private providers; free NHS tests are not valid for this purpose.

UKHSA are following up recent arrivals from these countries.

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Vaccinations

Experts remain confident that our current vaccines will provide protection against the new variant, but the extent of this continues to be investigated.

People are encouraged to receive their vaccinations and boosters as a precautionary measure and to help the NHS prepare for an already challenging winter.

The government is planning to carry out six million vaccinations in England over the next three weeks.

And Health Secretary Sajid Javid has asked the JCVI to consider giving boosters to as wide a group as possible to reduce the gap between second and booster doses.

Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said: “Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant – please get your first, second or booster jab without delay.

“Wear a mask in crowded places, including public transport and shops, to ensure we all help break the chains of transmission and slow the spread of this new variant.”

The Prime Minister said: “We need to bolster our protections against this new variant.

“We don’t yet exactly know how effective our vaccines will be against Omicron, but we have good reasons for believing they will provide at least some measure of protection.

“And if you are boosted – your response is likely to be stronger.

“It’s more vital than ever that people get their jabs, and we get those boosters into arms as fast as possible.”

Health Secretary Sajid Javid added: “This is a stark reminder that we are not yet out of this pandemic. Getting the vaccine has never been more important – please come forward for your first jab if you haven’t already and if eligible, book your booster as soon as possible.”

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Omicron

A rapid rise in infections in South Africa has been attributed to the spread of this new variant of Covid-19. Early indications suggest Omicron (or B.1.1.529) may be more transmissible than the Delta variant.

The first UK cases identified so far have been in Essex, Nottingham and Scotland; the individuals are self-isolating while contact tracing is ongoing. One case tested positive after travel to Westminster, and is linked to travel to Southern Africa. This individual is no longer in the UK, but UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive case visited when they were likely to have been infectious.

Omicron contains a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome. These are potentially biologically significant mutations which may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to vaccines, treatments and transmissibility.

UKHSA, in partnership with scientific bodies across the globe, is constantly monitoring the status of SARS-CoV-2 variants as they emerge and develop worldwide.