Prime Minister announces move to ‘Plan B’ measures

Following the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, England will move to ‘Plan B’ precautions.

Plan B was set out in September, and has been brought in by the government following ‘concerning data’ from South Africa, which is showing a rapid increase in hospitalisations.

There are currently 568 cases of the Omicron variant confirmed across the UK and early analysis from the UK Health Security Agency suggests the doubling time of the variant could be as little as 2.5 to 3 days.

As seen in previous waves, a swift rise in cases could lead to a rapid rise in hospitalisations, which would quickly lead to pressure on the NHS.

From Friday 10 December, face coverings will become compulsory in more public indoor venues, such as cinemas, theatres and places of worship. There will be exemptions in venues where it is not practical to wear one, such as when you are eating, drinking or exercising. For that reason, face masks will not be required in hospitality settings.

From Monday 13 December, those who can will be advised to work from home.

From Wednesday 15 December, and subject to parliamentary approval, a NHS Covid Pass or proof of a negative test result, such as an email or text, will become mandatory for entry into nightclubs and settings where large crowds gather – including unseated indoor events with 500 or more attendees, unseated outdoor events with 4,000 or more attendees and any event with 10,000 or more attendees.

The government will also introduce daily contact tests for contacts of confirmed positive cases instead of the ten-day self-isolation period.

Everyone should test using a lateral flow device, particularly before entering a high-risk setting involving people you wouldn’t normally come into contact with, or when visiting a vulnerable person. Lateral flow devices remain free of charge and can be collected from local pharmacies.

Speaking at a press conference on 8 December, the Prime Minister said: “We do not yet know Omicron’s severity, its exact rate of transmission, nor indeed the full effectiveness of our vaccines against it.

“But since I last spoke to you, it’s become increasingly clear that Omicron is growing much faster than the previous Delta variant, and it’s spreading rapidly all around the world.

“Most worryingly, there is evidence that the doubling time of Omicron in the UK could currently be between two and three days.

“And while there are some limits to what we can learn from South Africa, because of the different rates of vaccination and different rates of previous infection, we are seeing growth in cases here in the UK that mirrors the rapid increases previously seen in South Africa.

“And South Africa is also seeing hospitalisations roughly doubling in a week, meaning that we can’t yet assume Omicron is less severe than previous variants.

“Employers should use the rest of this week to discuss working arrangements with their employees but from Monday, you should work from home if you can. Go to work if you must, but work from home if you can.

“And I know this will be hard for many people, but by reducing your contacts in the workplace you will help slow transmission.

“Second, from this Friday we will further extend the legal requirement to wear a face mask to most public indoor venues, including theatres and cinemas.

“There will be of course exemptions where it is not practical, such as when eating, drinking, exercising or singing.

“Third, we’ll also make the NHS Covid Pass mandatory for entry into nightclubs, and venues where large crowds gather, including unseated indoor venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people and any venue with more than 10,000 people.

“The NHS Covid Pass can still be obtained with two doses but we will keep this under review as the boosters roll out.

“And having taken clinical advice since the emergence of Omicron, a negative lateral flow test will also be sufficient.”

Mr Johnson continued: “The single biggest thing that every one of us can do, is to get our jabs and crucially to get that booster as soon as our turn arrives.

“Our heroic NHS staff and volunteers have already done almost 21 million boosters, including reaching 84 per cent of all the eligible over 80s.

“But we need to go further and faster still, because our scientists are absolutely confident that your immune response will be stronger if you have been boosted.

“And while you are at it – please get your flu jab too.

“Let’s do everything we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones this winter – and to reduce the pressures on our NHS.”

A full list of guidance on these changes will be available on gov.uk in the coming days. Face covering regulations will be laid in parliament today, with the remaining regulations laid on Monday 13 December.

Parliament will debate the measures next week, with a vote expected to take place on Tuesday 14 December.

The government will keep the data under constant review. The regulations set to expire six weeks after implementation, with a review after three weeks.