Rules can be enforced after Christmas as Omicron use cases increase

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It is said that stricter restrictions may be imposed soon in the face of the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, after experts warned that hundreds of thousands of new infections are already likely each day.

Stricter measures may be imposed after “Boxing Day”, according to a report in The Sun newspaper, which said the emergency plan had not yet been submitted to ministers.

It comes after scientific advisers to the government said hospital admissions with the variant in the UK “may be around a tenth of the true number” due to the delay in reporting.

A “situation update” from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) was published on Thursday and said it was “almost certain that there are now hundreds of thousands of new omicron infections per day” in England.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has declared a major incident due to the “extremely alarming” surge in cases across the capital, as he voiced concerns that staff at vital public services including the NHS, the fire service and police had been absent due to the infection.

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Asked about a possible tightening of restrictions after Christmas, a government spokesperson said they would “continue to look closely at all data and keep our procedures under review”.

The health minister, Sajid Javid, said the current measures were “responsible and proportionate”, even as he acknowledged the disruption over their implementation.

He wrote in the Sunday Telegraph: “Standing up in Parliament this week and arguing about Plan B hasn’t brought me joy – promoting individual freedom and opportunity is one of the reasons I got involved in politics.”

“But we have to be clear about the challenge Omicron poses. Our strategy since its inception has been and continues to be to buy time for our scientists to assess the threat and build our defenses… Together we take a responsible and proportionate response,” he added.

The prospect of the new rules comes less than a week after Boris Johnson faced a rebellion from a large number of Conservative MPs who challenged him to vote against the mandatory use of Covid health permits in large places.

Brexit Secretary Lord Frost, who resigned on Saturday, gave a nod to his belief in the prime minister’s mentality, saying in his resignation letter: “We also need to learn to live with Covid and I know that’s your instinct too.”

It has been reported that the public may not be able to get to Sandringham to see members of the royal family attend church on Christmas Day (Joe Giddens/PA) / PA Archive

Meanwhile, The Mirror reports that the royal family’s traditional Christmas Day walk to church may not be available to the public due to the pandemic.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment but it is understood that Christmas plans are still being considered.

The Sunday Telegraph cited a source as saying options include the Queen staying at Windsor Castle.

Last week, it was confirmed that the royal family’s traditional pre-Christmas party, scheduled for Tuesday, had been cancelled, amid fears it could jeopardize the festive arrangements of many people if it continues.

Experts warn that internal confusion is the “biggest risk factor” for variable propagation (PA) / PA Wire

The latest figures from the UK’s Health Security Agency showed an additional 10,059 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 reported across the UK, bringing the total confirmed cases of the variant across the four countries to 24,968.

In England, the number of deaths for people with the Omicron variant rose to seven, and the number of hospital admissions for people with confirmed or suspected Omicron rose to 85.

Advice from the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modeling, Subgroup Operational (SPI-MO), in documents also released on Saturday but dated December 8, said that, in nearly all of the modeling, there is a significant reduction in transmission “similar to the nationwide lockdown” In January this year it will be required to “keep hospitalizations below the previous peak”.

Experts warned that internal mixing is the “biggest risk factor” for the spread of the variant, and that large gatherings risk creating “multiple spread events.”

They said ramping up the booster program will not help in terms of hospitalizations at this point, as many of them will be infected now, before there is time to build up immunity.

The Liberal Democrats demanded that Parliament be summoned on Monday to discuss next steps, with party leader Sir Ed Davy saying: “We cannot allow the Prime Minister to sit on his hands while the NHS and businesses are on the verge of collapse.”

It was clear that Plan B measures alone would not be enough to stem the rising numbers of cases, said Stephen Richer, a professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews and a member of Sage, and cautioned that waiting until after Christmas for action was “likely too late”.

A Cobra meeting was expected sometime over the weekend with the delegated nations.

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