The UK Covid Alert Level has been urgently increased in light of a rapid increase in Omicron cases.
Following advice from the UK Health Security Agency, the UK Chief Medical Officers and NHS England National Medical Director have recommended to Ministers that the UK COVID Alert Level should increase from Level 3 to Level 4.
This is over concerns of increasing Covid-19 rates across the nation and the surge of Omicron cases.
READ MORE: All UK adults set to be offered Covid booster vaccine to tackle Omicron variant
Transmission of COVID-19 is already high in the community, mainly still driven by Delta, but the emergence of Omicron adds additional and rapidly increasing risk to the public and healthcare services.
And the Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has already confirmed there are 'cases in hospital with Omicron' as cases continue to soar.
Early evidence shows that Omicron is spreading much faster than Delta and that vaccine protection against symptomatic disease from Omicron is reduced.
Data on severity will become clearer over the coming weeks but hospitalisations from Omicron are already occurring and these are likely to increase rapidly.
The upgrade to level 4 means health authorities think that the rates of transmission are high.
It also considers tougher pressures will be placed on healthcare services.
It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to address to the nation later this evening on the vaccine booster programme.
The Government website outlines Level 4 as: "a COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high and direct COVID-19 pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising."
People are being urged to take their booster jab to increase protection against Omicron of 'up to 70 percent' .
Both booster vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) reportedly increase the immune response substantially and show good effectiveness although with some reduction compared to Delta.
With a variant spreading with increased transmissibility and reduced vaccine effectiveness, the pressure on the NHS will be 'likely to rise soon' according to the Department of Health.
