Due to the spread of the Omikron type of corona virus, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the move to “Plan B” in England. This means restoring some restrictions and introducing covid certificates.
From next Friday, the obligation to wear masks will extend to most other enclosed public places, except where it is impractical to eat, drink, sing or exercise. This requirement applies to shops and public transport since November.
From Monday, the work-from-home recommendation for those with the option will be restored, and it will take effect within a week. COVID certificates as a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues with large crowds. It will be required in all enclosed spaces without designated seating with an audience of more than 500 people, in all open spaces without designated seating with an audience of more than 4,000 people. People and in all places where there are more than 10 thousand. Persons. Covid certification can be both Evidence of vaccination and negative coronavirus test.
On the other hand, people who will be referred to as having close contact with infected people will not have to self-isolate as they are today, but can instead take daily coronavirus tests.
Johnson said it was becoming “increasingly clear” that the alternative First discovered in South Africa, Omikron “grows much faster” than the previous Delta variant It is “spreading rapidly all over the world” so further restrictions are appropriate. The Prime Minister emphasized that they are, however, far from a lockdown.
Earlier on Wednesday, it was reported that in the past 24 hours, the number of infections with the Omikron variant detected in the UK increased by 131 and It is now 568, of which 448 are in England.
However, Johnson cautioned that the true number of cases of the Omikron variant is “certainly much higher.”
Most disturbingly, there is evidence of it The doubling time for Omicron cases in the UK can now be between two and three days. And while there are some limitations to what we can learn from South Africa – due to different levels of vaccination and different levels of previous infection – we are seeing an increase in cases here in the UK which reflects the rapid growth seen previously in South Africa. – said the head of government.
He added that he saw a doubling within a week in hospital in South Africa “We cannot yet assume that Omikron is less dangerous than the previous variants.” The Prime Minister admitted that the “brutal logic of exponential growth” for Omicron in the UK could lead to a “significant increase in hospitalization and, unfortunately, deaths”.
All these decisions are for England only Because in the rest of the UK, the local government is responsible for healthcare. In Scotland and Wales, new rules announced by Johnson, including for COVID certificates, have been in effect for several weeks.
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