A number of new rules have been brought in to try and tackle the spread of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19.
Although the Government continue to stress the importance of vaccines, some targeted measures are now also in place, as of 4am this morning (Tuesday November 30).
It is hoped that the new rules will stem the spread of the new variant, while more information is gathered and assessed on the its transmissibility and the success of the current vaccines against it.
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The rules include making masks compulsory in certain settings once again and stricter conditions on returning to the UK from abroad.
According to the Government website, the measures are temporary and precautionary, and will be reviewed in three weeks.
The regulations will be kept under review to ensure they only remain necessary and proportionate
The full list of rules are:
- Face coverings are compulsory in shops and settings such as banks, post offices and hairdressers, as well as on public transport unless individuals are exempt from doing so. The rule does not extend to hospitality settings such as pubs, restaurants and cafes.
- All international arrivals must take a PCR test by the end of the second day after arrival and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. The PCR tests are available online from private providers.
- All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate, regardless of their age or vaccination status. They will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
After announcing the new rules, Boris Johnson said: "The measures taking effect today are proportionate and responsible, and will buy us time in the face of this new variant.
"Based on everything we know, our vaccines and boosters remain our best line of defence, so it is more important than ever that people come forward when eligible to get boosted.
"Not only will today’s steps help us slow down the variant’s spread, but they will help us protect each other and the gains we have all worked so hard for."
Yesterday, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised the booster programme was extended to all 18-39 year-olds and the gap between the second dose and booster was reduced to three months.
All those aged 12 to 15 years have now been advised to receive a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, no sooner than 12 weeks after the first dose.
Severely immunosuppressed individuals who have received three primary doses, should now also be offered a booster dose.
