Boris Johnson announcement – 4 Covid booster jabs vital for vulnerable says NHS boss as Brits face fines under new rules

‘No guarantee’ we won’t face new lockdown

The public need to "roll their sleeves up" and get a booster jab now as part of a "national mission" to save Christmas, Sajid Javid said today.

More volunteers to have been called on by the health secretary to come forward to help the rollout as 400 troops and thousands of pharmacies and GPs are mobilised.

He said scientists will know a lot more about the danger posed by Omicron in a fortnight - ahead of the pre-Christmas review of restrictions.

But he also warned there is "no guarantee" that a fresh lockdown won't be needed if the news is bad.

Mr Javid insisted there's "no need" for people to change their festive plans after a top Government medic urged Brits to limit their socialising.

He said it's "still likely" the current vaccines are "going to be effective against serious disease" caused by Omicron.

Can I still have the Covid booster if I have a cold?

The short answer is yes.

If you are certain it is not Covid you are suffering with and you are well enough to leave home, you can get your third shot with confidence.

It might make you feel a bit rougher than if you weren’t ill, but overall it’s perfectly safe – and you can emerge from your sickly funk safe in the knowledge you are protected against coronavirus.

A cold shouldn’t have an effect on your body’s ability to build an immune response to the flu, even though it is fighting an illness.

NHS guidance says you should still attend your appointment even if you have a mild illness, including a common cold.

The best present this Xmas is getting boosters

This is a comment piece by Jonathan Van-Tam

On this day, a year ago, we lacked the one thing we needed most of all in our fight against COVID: an approved vaccine to deploy to the people of the UK.

Tomorrow, a year ago, that all changed. On 2^nd December 2020 our regulator, the MHRA, became the first in the world to approve the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine; a few weeks later the AstraZeneca vaccine was licensed.

A vast amount of work had led up to that point, and a vast amount of work has followed to get those vital jabs into arms.

That was a real turning point in the battle with the pandemic. On 8^th December, just 6 days after approval, Margaret Keenan became the first person in the world to receive a deployed dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Over 115 million vaccinations later, we can see the powerful impact the UK deployed vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca) have had in saving lives, reducing serious illness, and taking pressure of the NHS.

The huge delivery of vaccination by the NHS and volunteers, and the huge take up of vaccination by us all has allowed us to return to many of the things we love.

Right now, there is again uncertainty, because of the new Omicron variant and what that will mean. Scientists have always been clear that variants will happen.

But when a variant first appears one of the things we really need to know is if our vaccines will be affected.

Jabs Army

This is a comment piece from Boris Johnson

THANKS to the amazing efforts of the British people and our NHS, we had the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe.

Today, we have the fastest booster rollout too.

And be in no doubt, the fantastic volunteers of The Sun’s Jabs Army made an enormous difference in helping the UK achieve this feat.

Now my message is simple: We need you again. We still don’t know exactly what we’re facing with this Omicron variant.

But we do know that our single best defence against Omicron — and every other variety of Covid — is getting vaccinated and getting boosted.

If you’ve had a booster then your immune response will be stronger and you’ll be better protected.

Calls for Christmas Covid curbs rejected

CHRISTMAS parties should not be cancelled because of Covid — and children can still have their school nativity plays, Boris Johnson said tonight.

In a stinging rebuke to one of the country’s top doctors, the PM batted away calls for families to scrap get-togethers in the coming weeks amid fears over the Omicron variant.

His plea came as worried hospitality chiefs warned that vital Christmas trade is already being blighted by cancellations because of panic over the new mutant strain.

Instead, the PM said he would “throw everything” to get every adult a third jab by the end of January, deploying the Army to help the NHS in temporary vaccine hubs “popping up like Christmas trees”.

Health minister Gillian Keegan echoed Mariah Carey and said: “All we want honestly for Christmas is for everyone to get jabbed.”

She said the chances of having to put in further restrictions over the festive period were “pretty low” and vowed that “Christmas is on track”.

Covid booster eligibility

You don’t have to wait until the six-month mark to book, as the NHS is sending invitations to arrive at five months after the second dose.

People who will be invited for a booster include:

• people aged 40 and over
• people who live and work in care homes
• frontline health and social care workers
• people aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts them at high risk of getting seriously ill from Covid
• people aged 16 and over who are a main carer for someone at high risk from Covid
• people aged 16 and over who live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)

What protection should you have at work?

According to government guidance, employers should:

• Complete a Covid-19 risk assessment, and share it with all staff.
• Clean more often, especially surfaces that people touch a lot. Staff and customers to use hand sanitiser and wash their hands frequently.
• Remind visitors to wear face coverings where the law says they must.
• Make sure everyone can maintain social distancing, for example putting up signs or introducing a one-way system.
• Provide adequate ventilation by supplying fresh air to enclosed space where people are present. For example via windows, doors and vents, mechanical ventilation using fans and ducts, or a combination of both.
• Take part in NHS Test and Trace.
• Turn people with coronavirus symptoms away.
• Arrange work spaces to keep staff apart.
• Reduce face-to-face meetings.
• Reduce crowding.

Your employer does owe a duty of care to you and other members of staff.

Public being trained to give boosters (Continued...)

Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said the coronavirus vaccination programme "is all about speed".

He told BBC Breakfast: "So the two challenges are going to be the logistics of actually delivering so much vaccine in a very short time and of course, it's important that people come forward and receive those jabs in good time so that they can build up that extra immunity that we need to be sure that we're protected against this new variant.

"So challenging month ahead for the NHS."

Public being trained to give boosters

Member of the public are being trained up to help with getting the booster jabs out as the country works to save Christmas.

The rollout of the extra shot of vaccine has been ramped up as the mutant variant arrived in Britain.

Ministers are desperate to get as many people as possible having their boosters earlier.

The arrival of the super strain has already seen mask wearing enforced again, and a change in travel restrictions.

But to combat any more coming in, and the variant spreading, regular Brits are being taught how to give out the vaccines.

This will speed up the rollout and allow more jabs to go in more arms, as the NHS is also trying to deal with the backlog of delayed treatments.

Around 13m over-18s will be eligible for booster shots

It has been confirmed by government scientists that an extra 13 million over-18s will become eligible for a third shot of the vaccine before the end of the year.

Kids aged 12 to 15 will also be offered a second dose of the vaccine, in an attempt to shore up the nation’s immunity in the face of the worrying new strain.

Experts hope cutting the gap between the second and third doses of the jab from six to three months will allow the UK to get ahead of the new Covid variant.

Sick pay for self-isolating

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has said ensuring people have sick pay when they have to self-isolate is “one of the most crucial things we can do” amid the rise of the Omicron variant, along with people wearing face coverings – “including the Prime Minister”.

She told BBC Breakfast: “If people have to self-isolate or go off sick they have to be given sick pay, it’s one of the most crucial things we can do to ensure that everybody can do the right thing and protect people from this new variant.

“The booster jab should be given as quickly as possible, we said five months, hopefully that will happen now, and there should be ventilation in schools.

“People should be wearing masks, including the Prime Minister when he’s visiting public spaces indoors.

“The G7 was very clear in its commitment to rolling out the vaccines across the globe and we’ve not met those targets.

“We’ve seen that there’s no point in vaccinating Britain if the rest of the world is not given the vaccines as well.”

Instructors and learners listen up

The latest legislation states masks are required during driving lessons and tests.

This includes vehicles of any class - and applies to both student and instructor.

You do not, however, need to be covered up in your own vehicle.

A warning to families this Christmas

People have been warned they should not meet friends and family as much during the Christmas period, a gloomy top doc told Brits today.

Dr Jenny Harries, head of the UK Health Security Agency, warned Brits not to socialise "when we don't particularly need to" to stem the spread of Omicron.

However, Care Minister Gillian Keegan urged the public to hold its nerve and resist binning off festive plans.

Omicron super-strain has sparked a new wave of fear among many as there are now 14 UK cases putting a threat on everyone's Christmas plans.

Covid news round up

• New rules have come into force TODAY to stop the new variant Omicron
• Brits face fines if they don't wear masks on public transport or in shops
• Schools WON'T close despite the new strain
• Docs fear the new strain will put certain people at greater risk
• European leaders said they are in a race against time to stop the new variant from spreading

'Proportionate and balanced measures'

The Government’s stance had been countered yesterday by the head of the UK’s Health Security Agency, who urged against people getting together and said working from home was a “good idea”.

Dr Jenny Harries added: “If we all decrease our social contacts a little bit, actually that helps to keep the variant at bay. Being careful, not socialising when we don’t particularly need to, would help.” But Mr Johnson said: “We don’t want people to cancel such events.”

Asked if he agreed with Dr Harries assessment, he added: “So the answer is no. The guidance remains the same, and we’re trying to take a balanced and proportionate approach to the particular risk that seems to be posed by Omicron.”

Calls for Christmas Covid curbs rejected

CHRISTMAS parties should not be cancelled because of Covid — and children can still have their school nativity plays, Boris Johnson said tonight.

In a stinging rebuke to one of the country’s top doctors, the PM batted away calls for families to scrap get-togethers in the coming weeks amid fears over the Omicron variant.

His plea came as worried hospitality chiefs warned that vital Christmas trade is already being blighted by cancellations because of panic over the new mutant strain.

Instead, the PM said he would “throw everything” to get every adult a third jab by the end of January, deploying the Army to help the NHS in temporary vaccine hubs “popping up like Christmas trees”.

Health minister Gillian Keegan echoed Mariah Carey and said: “All we want honestly for Christmas is for everyone to get jabbed.”

She said the chances of having to put in further restrictions over the festive period were “pretty low” and vowed that “Christmas is on track”.

'Jabs Army’s... we need you again'

This is a comment piece by Boris Johnson.

THANKS to the amazing efforts of the British people and our NHS, we had the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe.

Today, we have the fastest booster rollout too.

Now my message is simple: We need you again. We still don’t know exactly what we’re facing with this Omicron variant.

But we have to stay one step ahead of this virus, and that means getting even more jabs into even more arms even more quickly.

We’re going to throw everything at it, with vaccines available at more than 1,500 community pharmacies, more appointments at existing centres and there will be temporary vaccination centres popping up like Christmas trees.

But all these extra shots won’t deliver themselves. And while our brilliant NHS staff and medical professionals will be concentrating on the sharp end of the vaccination process, the Jabs Army needs thousands of new recruits to make sure the whole process runs smoothly.

So this is both a call to arms and a call to get jabs in arms.

Join the Sun’s Jabs Army today, get your booster and tell your friends and family to do the same.

Read the piece in full here.

South Africa has seen a leap in Covid cases

South Africa has seen a leap in Covid cases in recent days, with infection of the variant - dubbed Botswana - tripling since it was first found.

The country's health authorities had been reporting around 200 confirmed cases a day until last Wednesday when infections rapidly rose above 1,200 and almost doubled again to 2,465 on Thursday, according to .

In Gauteng, South Africa's most populous region, estimates suggest 90 per cent of new infections could be B.1.1.529, according to the outlet.

B.1.1.529 is the most evolved strain so far with 32 mutations, and could be worse than Delta, experts have warned.

Brit couple stranded in South Africa face whopping £3.7k quarantine bill

A BRITISH couple stranded in South Africa after the UK slapped the country on the Red travel list will have to pay a whopping £3,700 quarantine bill to return home.

Owen Hancock, 35, and Emily Mennie, 30, from Tooting, South West London, had been visiting family for the first time since the pandemic began.

They jetted off on November 18, thinking that when they returned to England they would just have to take a test two days after landing.

But on their travels, South Africa, and six other countries were slapped with a travel ban in a desperate bid to stop the spread of the Omicron Covid mutation.

Now they will be subjected to harsh restrictions - and will have to fork out £3,700 to pay for their quarantine.

Emily, who was born in South Africa, told : "We will be forced to quarantine when we return for 10 days. 

“We are happy to quarantine, we understand that we need to do our bit to stop the pandemic.

"Our issue is that we weren't given an option to get back without the cost of the hotel and therefore we think the Government should pay because we didn't have a choice to return as flights were banned to the UK."

Recap: The new rules

Face masks are once again compulsory in shops and on public transport, but not in pubs and restaurants.

And new travel rules were introduced today for Brits returning from abroad.

All Brits must now self-isolate for two days when returning from any country, and pay for a PCR test to be taken on or before day two.

EasyJet extends flexible Covid booking rules

EASYJET is extending its flexible Covid booking rules until the end of March 2022.

Concern over the spread of the new Omicron Covid variant has prompted the budget airline to give passengers more flexibility during a time of travel uncertainty.

This gives flyers last-minute flexibility if new Covid restrictions are announced.

There are no restrictions on flight dates or destinations, and customers with both new and existing bookings can transfer to any flights currently on sale up to the end of September 2022.

So if there are some travel restrictions impacting a customer's destination country, they can easily change their trip to another country on easyJet's network.

The budget airline's existing travel restriction protection for flights will remain in place until the end of next year.