The Covid Omicron variant could need “very stringent response measures” if it threatens the NHS, leaked SAGE minutes warn.
Notes from a meeting on Monday, obtained by the BBC, say it is “highly likely” that the multiple-mutated strain can resist vaccine immunity “to some extent”, like the Delta variant does.
The notes add: "Any significant reduction in protection against infection could still result in a very large wave of infections.
“This would in turn lead to a potentially high number of hospitalisations even with protection against severe disease being less affected." It comes after Boris Johnson last night insisted a Christmas lockdown was "extremely unlikely".
A government spokesman did not deny the minutes were genuine and warned: “We continue to monitor the situation closely and will not hesitate to take further action if necessary.”
The leaked say it would be “valuable” to go further on travel testing, forcing travellers to the UK to take a pre-departure Covid test before they take their flight.
Currently travellers from non-red-list countries will only need to take a Day 2 test after arrival and isolate until it comes back negative.
The leaked SAGE minutes said this approach will “identify significantly fewer cases" than an additional test on either day five or day eight - as the Welsh and Scottish governments have called for.
Scientists simply do not know at the moment whether Omicron - 22 cases of which have been found in the UK so far - is resistant to vaccines.
Face mask laws and mandatory 10-day isolation for close contacts of suspected Omicron cases have been introduced for three weeks - and could be extended beyond December 20 - while scientists work out the risk.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid today said people “maybe” want to take a lateral flow test before going to Christmas parties.
But he rejected comments of government advisor Dr Jenny Harries who suggested people may want to cut down on socialising. Mr Javid agreed with Boris Johnson, saying there is no need to cancel plans.
And Mr Javid claimed the restrictions “might” be reviewed earlier than the planned three-week review date on December 20.
"We are confident that actually maybe within two weeks we will know a lot more about this. We may not even need to wait three weeks," he said.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) notes said the size of any future wave remains "highly uncertain", according to the BBC.
But the scientists added it may be of a scale that requires "very stringent response measures" to avoid unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
They went on: "It is important to be prepared for a potentially very significant wave of infections with associated hospitalisations now, ahead of data being available…
"The situation could develop quickly over the coming weeks and decision makers may need to act while there is a high level of uncertainty including the potential need for stringent response measures.”
The minutes obtained by the BBC have not been seen by the Mirror. However, SAGE minutes are published regularly by the government including on most Fridays.
A government spokesperson said: “As soon as we became aware of the Omicron variant we took rapid action to protect public health - including expanding the red list, introducing PCR testing for travellers, changing the rules on self-isolation for close contacts and mandating face coverings in shops and on public transport.
“On top of this we are speeding up our vaccination programme by offering all adults in England a booster jab by the end of January, halving the gap between second doses and boosters, and offering second jabs to 12-15 year olds, following advice from the JCVI."
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “It is totally unacceptable that Ministers are failing to take action at the border when even their own advisors are telling them to introduce pre-departure tests.
“It cannot be right that people can travel to an airport, board a busy flight, queue at busy departure gates, and travel on trains and buses in the UK, all without having taken a test.
“The government must not repeat the mistakes it made earlier in the pandemic by being too slow to take action to prevent further cases of the Omicron variant entering the UK.”
