There's no two ways about it, the Omicron variant has the potential to derail everyone's Christmas plans.
The mutant strain has not only been found to be highly transmissible, but more likely to evade our waning vaccine protection than the Delta variant.
Wales currently remains at alert level zero, but with the Welsh Government reintroducing weekly reviews into restrictions it will fuel uncertainty around what we will be allowed to do over the festive period.
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All eyes will be on scientists and politicians this week as more data is unearthed about how harmful Omicron is to our health and what impact it could have on our already overstretched NHS.
Here's what some leading figures in Wales and elsewhere are saying about Omicron and how it could affect Christmas.
First Minister Mark Drakeford
The First Minister has described Omicron as a "fast-moving form of coronavirus" which has the potential to "cause a large wave of infections in Wales".
"This could lead to large numbers of people needing hospital treatment at a time when our NHS is under significant pressure," he warned.
In the Welsh Government press conference last week, Mr Drakeford said a gloomy few months lay ahead and added: "None of us wanted to hear about the news of this new Omicron variant. After almost two long years of the pandemic, we had all hoped that we could put coronavirus behind us this Christmas. Unfortunately, we are once again facing an uncertain future."
He said there were four things people could do to minimise the risk of catching and spreading the variant, including:
- Taking lateral flow tests before going out and mixing;
- Students returning from university taking a test before travelling home;
- Working from home if you possibly can;
- Following the face covering rules which have been extended to pubs and restaurants.
The First Minister strongly urged everyone to "flow before they go".
"This means taking a lateral flow test before going out – whether that's to a Christmas party, Christmas shopping, visiting friends or family, going to any crowded or busy place or before travelling. If it's positive, don’t go out. Arrange for a PCR test and self-isolate," he added.
In the same press conference, the First Minister poured cold water on suggestions he supported a Christmas and New Year lockdown in Wales.
He did not offer a flat-out denial but instead told reporters: "You're not going to draw me into a conversation on distorted accounts of a meeting, where those accounts are a gross violation of the rules under which those meetings are conducted, and where the motivation of whoever it was that carried out that gross violation was simply to cause a distraction from the many, many difficulties the UK Government has experienced this week."
Wales' chief medical officer Dr Frank Atherton
Dr Atherton has admitted he is "very worried" about what is going to happen over the next two to three weeks as cases of the Omicron variant are expected to surge.
He said it was "almost inevitable" that ministers will have to consider measures to reduce population mixing.
"It is the worst time of year to be considering this, but we have to look at population mixing. It is almost inevitable that ministers are going to have to consider whether measure to reduce population mixing are needed at this point in time," he said.
"This week we will be looking at the sorts of things we need to do."
There have been 15 confirmed cases in Wales, but Dr Atherton said he is expecting a "rising tide of community transmissions" into the Christmas week. He told BBC Radio Wales on Monday that there were three main areas of concern:
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that the variant was clearly more transmissible;
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the "very strong evidence" that it is less responsive to the vaccine;
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that they were seeing levels of serious harm in other places.
He said it was "inevitable" that people will come to harm and admitted the peak would be earlier than many first thought.
"This wave of Omicron transmission that we are expecting and preparing for now will inevitably lead to more people coming into hospital," he said. "And we are starting to see the start of that here in Wales. I am very worried about what is going to happen over the next two or three weeks.
"For the simple reason that the doubling time for the infection in the UK seems to be around two days and that very rapidly leads us into huge community transmission rates, and what we have seen with all the previous waves is that when we have high rates of community transmission about two weeks later we see that translating into hospital admissions, into people needing to be treated with oxygen, into people needing to be treated in intensive care, and sadly two weeks later to people dying. This is what we have to prepare for as a society."
On Sunday, the UK’s four chief medical officers raised the Covid alert level to four, its second highest level, because of the evidence that Omicron is doubling in the UK every two to three days.
Health Minister Eluned Morgan
Baroness Morgan said the emergence of the Omicron virus is a "sombre reminder that this pandemic is not yet over".
"We have all worked hard to get us to alert level zero but we must continue to live with restrictions as we enter the Christmas and New Year period," she said.
"Even though only a handful of cases of Omicron have so far been confirmed in Wales, we must be prepared for cases to rise quickly and sharply."
She reiterated that the best way of keeping us safe over Christmas was to have the booster vaccine when offered. All eligible adults are set to be offered the jab by the end of January.
"I urge those who have not yet taken up their offer to do so. This is the best way to protect yourself, families and communities. More than a million people have already received their booster vaccine in Wales and the programme is being sped up following the emergence of the fast-moving variant."
Over recent days the health minister has refused to rule out tightening Covid-19 restrictions over the Christmas period, saying a decision would be taken "as and when" a clearer picture of Omicron's impact emerges.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson has repeatedly declined to rule out further coronavirus restrictions being introduced in England ahead of Christmas as the Omicron variant spikes.
The Prime Minister insisted that the current Plan B of restrictions - including working from home and Covid passports for events, plus boosters - was the right way to go in England.
Speaking to broadcasters during a visit to a vaccination clinic near Paddington, west London, the Prime Minister said: "Throughout the pandemic I've been at great pains to stress to the public that we have to watch where the pandemic is going and we take whatever steps are necessary to protect public health.
"We think the steps that we are taking – so Plan B, combined with a hugely ambitious acceleration of the booster campaign, bringing it forward by a month so we offer a booster to every adult by the end of the year – we think that's the right approach."
Boris Johnson again insisted he "certainly broke no rules" when asked about parties and gatherings in Downing Street.
He added: "All that is being looked into. But if I may respectfully say to you… of course, all that must be properly gone into – you’ll be hearing from the Cabinet Secretary about it all."
Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
On Sunday evening, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed plans to offer all adults a Covid booster by the end of the year like in England, but added: "Given the expected volume of cases in the weeks ahead, however, it is also possible that further, proportionate protective measures or advice will be necessary.
"This is true even if Omicron proves to be slightly less severe than Delta.
"The number of cases will still put significant pressure on the NHS and the economy. The government will therefore consider the latest data ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and I will set out any decisions to parliament later that day."
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