As Omicron Rises, UK PM Holds Off On Tougher Rules Before Christmas
NDTV
With the government's scientific advisers urging for new rules sooner rather than later, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's comments leave the UK in limbo just 5 days before Christmas as daily Covid cases remain near record levels due to Omicron.
Boris Johnson held off introducing stricter UK coronavirus rules to clamp down on a surging new wave of the virus, but left open the prospect they'll be needed soon. Hearing that Boris Johnson is considering going back to step 2 restrictions from Dec 27 - so POST Christmas - for a month to help curb infections.Big caveat is that Govt scientists want him to act now - while some in Cabinet worried about further restrictions even later. pic.twitter.com/exg3SvtiZU
Speaking after a meeting of his cabinet that stretched for more than 2 hours amid what he described himself as "finely-balanced arguments" either way, Johnson said his top team agreed to keep the data on the outbreak "under constant review."
"We will not exclude going further if we have to do things to protect the public," Johnson said in a pooled television interview. For now, "there are still some things that we need to be clearer about before we decide to go further."
With the government's scientific advisers urging for new rules sooner rather than later to stave off a surge in hospitalizations, Johnson's comments leave the UK in limbo just 5 days before Christmas as daily Covid cases remain near record levels due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant. Earlier on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab refused to rule out a Christmas lockdown.
