Cobra emergency meeting on Omicron today as Plan C measures loom

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All four countries in the UK will hold an emergency meeting on Covid-19 later today (December 15).

Communities Minister Michael Gove will chair Cobra’s meeting with delegated departments on Wednesday afternoon, the Palestinian Authority News Agency understands.

The meeting will take place at approximately 5pm with representatives of the Scottish and Welsh governments and the Northern Ireland Executive.

It comes amid speculation that stricter Covid rules may be announced.

Read more: Anyone with Covid from today must self-isolate on Christmas Day

It comes as Dr Jenny Harris, chief executive of the UK’s Health Security Agency, described the Omicron coronavirus variant as “probably the most significant threat we have faced since the start of the pandemic”.

She also warned that the NHS could be in “grave danger” due to the Omicron wave and said the “real danger” was that “there are a lot of unusual mutations on this virus”.

More coronavirus restrictions may be needed before Christmas to curb the spread of Omicron, Scottish Deputy First Minister John Sweeney warned as a health expert advised the country needed to “prepare for a worst-case scenario”.

Companies are being urged to take measures to “step up” protection against the virus.

England’s Health Minister Sajid Javid has warned that stricter measures are needed before the end of this week to prevent excessive pressure on the NHS.

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Experts say that at the peak of the Omicron variant, which can come within four weeks, 2,000 people per day could be hospitalized.

There are fears England will now announce Plan C – which could include stricter restrictions on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

There are a lot of restrictions that can come in to lower infection rates, according to The Mirror.

Reducing home mixing is one of the big levers and was discussed as a contingency plan in October.

People in Scotland were urged yesterday to limit social contact to three families amid an increase in Omicron cases.

While advice to limit social gatherings would not be enforceable in law, Ms Sturgeon announced that allowing employees to work from home where possible would again become a legal duty for employers.

Other measures could include face masks in all indoor settings, passport vaccination in more places, stricter isolation rules, and hospitality check-in.

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