Boris Johnson Confirms No More Covid Restrictions Will Come In Before Christmas
Boris Johnson has confirmed in a televised address that no new Covid restrictions will be brought in before Christmas (Number 10)
2 min read
The Prime Minister has confirmed there will not be any further coronavirus restrictions put in place in England before Christmas.
In a video message broadcast this evening Boris Johnson said despite a surge in Covid-19 cases in the UK fuelled by the new Omicron variant there is “continuing uncertainty” about how it will affect people.
“We don’t think today that there is enough evidence to justify any tougher measures before Christmas,” he added.
It comes after a mammoth Cabinet meeting yesterday where the PM’s senior ministers were said to be resistant to implementing measures beyond the “Plan B” brought in last week.
Johnson said last night the government would keep the situation under "constant review" on an "hour by hour" basis as the UK continues to see its highest recorded daily case figures of the entire pandemic.
It has led to a range of scientific advisors and experts calling for more measures to prevent it spreading further and overwhelming the NHS this winter.
This morning senior Cabinet minister Stephen Barclay said they wanted more time in the coming days to see how those infections translate into hospital admissions before making a decision on potentially imposing more rules.
But the PM has now sought to clarify that “people can go ahead with their Christmas plans”, however he added “the situation remains extremely difficult”.
In his TV address Johnson said: “Naturally we can’t rule out any further measures after Christmas - and we’re going to keep a constant eye on the data, and we’ll do whatever it takes to protect public health.
“But in view of the continuing uncertainty about several things – the severity of Omicron, uncertainty about the hospitalisation rate or the impact of the vaccine rollout or the boosters, we don’t think today that there is enough evidence to justify any tougher measures before Christmas.”
He also urged everyone to "exercise caution, to keep protecting yourselves and your loved ones, especially the vulnerable”, by wearing a mask indoors when required, making sure rooms are well-ventilated, and to take a test before you visit elderly relatives.
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