Omicron cases up 50% in 24 hours but Covid booster jabs can beat it with no Brits hospitalised yet

OMICRON cases have risen by 50 per cent in 24 hours – but Covid booster jabs CAN beat it with no Brits hospitalised from the mutation yet.

A further 633 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the UK today, taking the total to 1,898.

The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) said cases of the mutation have increased in the last day as fears continue to grow over Omicron.

And today there were a further 54,073 Covid-19 infections, bringing the total to 10,771,444.

There were 132 more deaths, bringing the total number of Covid-19 fatalities to 146,387.

Yesterday, 448 new cases of the variant were recorded – which means mutation cases are on the rise with today’s 633.

However, the health agency provided the first UK-based batch of evidence on vaccine efficacy against the strain – showing that three shots were far more protective than two.

No10 is scrambling to stave off a winter surge and is begging Brits to get their boosters as The Sun’s Jabs Army campaign marshals its recruits.

This comes as Sajid Javid has been “told to trigger Plan C restrictions within a WEEK by gloomy health officials,” it’s been reported.

The Health Secretary was allegedly told by the UK Health and Security Agency that Omicron risks overwhelming the NHS as 5,000 Brits could be admitted to hospital a day.

Mr Javid was allegedly told that “stringent national measures” need to be imposed by 18 December to avoid surpassing last year’s winter peak.

But data shows that Covid vaccines do protect you from Omicron – and getting your booster before the festive season will protect you and your loved ones.

The Sun’s Jabs Army helped administer millions of jabs this year – and now we are calling Brits to get their boosters.

Dr Jenny Harries, UKHSA Chief Executive said: “Once again, we urge everyone who is able to get a booster jab to come forward and do so. It is the best defence we have against this highly transmissible new variant.”

The “official and sensitive” warning to the Health Secretary said: “The key point is that under a range of plausible scenarios, stringent action is needed on or before 18 December 2021 if doubling times stay at 2.5 days.

“Even if doubling times rise to around 5 days, stringent action is likely still needed in December.”

VIRAL SURGE

It adds: “The rapid spread of Omicron means that action to limit pressures on the health system might have to come earlier than intuition suggests.”

This comes as Michael Gove has hinted that Plan C restrictions are on the cards as he warned that the spread of Omicron was “deeply concerning.”

The gloomy minister warned Britain faces an onslaught of mutant Covid cases — as he opened the door to further restrictions under Plan C.

The Levelling up and Communities minister insisted: “We need to keep everything under review.”

He said: “We recognise the importance of balancing people’s abilities to get on with their lives, with the need to protect them against this virus. But action is absolutely required.

“As new data comes in we will consider what action we do require to take in the face of that data.”

Gove appeared to open the door to new Covid restrictions while admitting the UK faces a “deeply concerning situation” because of Omicron.

Read our Omicron live blog for the latest updates

Up to 75,000 more Brits could die of Covid this winter as Omicron sweeps the country, doom-mongering scientists have warned.

Even under the most optimistic scenario, the projected wave of infection could lead to a peak of more than 2,000 daily hospital admissions before April.

There could be a total of 175,000 hospital admissions and 24,700 deaths between December 1 this year and April 30, 2022.

But if boosters aren’t as effective, Covid deaths could reach 74,800 as Omicron spreads, the report said.

This is if no additional control measures are implemented over and above the current Plan B – according to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine scientists.

But – a third Covid jab can combat Omicron and save us from more lockdown pain, says a morale-boosting study.

Any two doses plus a Pfizer booster give up to 75 per cent protection, experts say.

Three shots also defend better against severe disease or death — but two doses will soon fail to prevent even a third of cases.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “This data shows how important boosters are.”