Health Secretary Sajid Javid has urged Christmas party-goers to take a Covid test before heading to festive events.
He was speaking to Sky News on Wednesday (December 1) morning, and said that while that is not official advice, it is a 'sensible precaution'.
"I would [take a test]," Mr Javid told Kay Burley. "It's not a formal recommendation in the guidance, but if I was going to a party with people I would.
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"I would have done that even before we knew about this [Omricon] variant. The reason I would have done that is because it's getting colder, it's getting darker, we're spending more time indoors. There are probably more people indoors just because of the colder, darker days, so [it's] a sensible precaution everyone can take."
His comments come the day after Jenny Harries, a senior government scientist, urged people to limit unnecessary social contact in the face of the Omricon variant - but the government say this too is not official advice.
Already, mask wearing has been reintroduced into places like public transport and shops.
Boris Johnson said yesterday that another lockdown was 'extremely unlikely', but had not completely ruled it out.
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