Covid omicron news – live: Vaccine decision for children to come next week as date set for booster bookings

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is set to announce a decision on whether to vaccinate children aged 5 to 11 as early as next week, The Independent understands, with a rollout expected in the new year.

One MHRA insider said the regulator was reluctant to commit to a date, but acknowledged that the rolling assessment had been accelerated.

It still remains unclear when the government and NHS would look to start jabbing young children, with focus currently fixed on the vaccination of adults and the rollout of booster shots.

Another source close to the review said it was “moving at pace”.

It comes as the acceleration of the booster jab rollout will begin no later than 13 December, NHS England said.

The health service said jabs would be open to book for all adults and delivered in descending age groups, though at-risk groups will get priority.

Read More

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New Covid laws: The latest rules for face masks and self-isolation amid rise of omicron cases

Key Points

• Sage member 'would not feel safe’ at Christmas party

• Booster rollout expanded 13 December latest

• ‘No plans’ to make jabs mandatory, says No 10

• NHS leaders ‘have no news’ on government’s booster rollout plan

• Boosters may offer good protection against new variants – study

• True threat from omicron unlikely to be known until new year

• Risk of omicron reinfection three times higher, finds a study

• Covid infections up across UK, but no link to Omicron found – ONS

Panama blocks travellers from eight African countries

04:58 , Namita Singh

Panama has announced a temporary ban on travellers entering the country from eight African nations due to concerns over the potentially more infectious omicron variant.

The restrictions cover those who have travelled through South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe or Malawi within a period of the last two weeks.

Under the new travel rules, while vaccinated Panamanians and residents must show a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of boarding the flight, the unvaccinated would be required to place themselves in “preventive quarantine”.

Malaysia reports first case of omicron

06:55 , Namita Singh

Malaysia is the latest in the list of countries to have detected its first case of the omicron variant, confirmed the country’s health minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

The variant was reported in a foreign passenger who arrived in the country from South Africa via Singapore on 19 November.

South Korea makes vaccine pass mandatory for public places

06:58 , Namita Singh

South Korea on Friday announced it was making vaccine passes mandatory for those visiting restaurants, cinemas and other public places.

The new rules came amid a surge in Covid-19 infections and as the country has reported five cases of the omicron variant. The authorities have also made a 10-day quarantine mandatory for fully vaccinated inbound travellers.

Risk of omicron reinfection three times higher, finds a study

07:02 , Namita Singh

The risk of reinfection from the omicron variant is three times higher than the previous delta or beta variants, revealed a preliminary study by South African scientists on Thursday.

The findings also provide evidence about the omicron variant’s “ability to evade immunity from prior infection”. “Recent reinfections have occurred in individuals whose primary infections occurred across all three waves, with the most having their primary infection in the Delta wave,” tweeted Juliet Pulliam, director of the South African Center for Epidemiological Modelling.

The study has not been peer-reviewed, reported AFP.

True threat from omicron unlikely to be known until new year, warn government advisers

07:48 , Liam James

The true threat posed by the omicron variant is unlikely to be known until the new year, scientific advisers to the government have warned.

Experts from the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M) believe “the worse the problem is going to be, the earlier we will know” – but it’s expected to take a month before data indicates whether omicron will drive a surge in hospitalisations among the vaccinated.

“If we don’t see a sharp rise in [omicron-positive] cases or hospitalisations in the next four to six weeks, then we can start to relax,” said Matt Keeling, a professor of mathematics and life sciences at the University of Warwick and SPI-M expert.

Full report from Samuel Lovett here:

True threat posed by omicron ‘unlikely’ to be known until new year, scientists say

Pfizer and Moderna best for booster jabs

08:29 , Liam James

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the best to use as booster doses, a major trial suggests.

A study by the NIHR Clinical Research Facility found that the mRNA jabs led to the most significant rise in immunity as third doses out of the six vaccines tested.

The study also found that booster jabs may offer good protection against the omicron variant.

The UK has stepped up its booster vaccine campaign in the face of the new variant, buying 114 million more doses to be delivered next year and in 2023.

Booster jabs’ omicron impact not yet known, says vaccine trial lead

08:45 , Liam James

The effect of booster jabs on the omicron variant is not yet known, the lead of a major vaccine trial said.

Professor Saul Faust, who led the NIHR trial of booster vaccines, was asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme what he could say with certainty on how boosters will work with Omicron.

He said: “Nobody can tell you with any degree of certainty what the boosters might do, and if they do they're speculating, actually.

“What we can say is that samples from the study have gone to the UK Health Security Agency for testing and they'll be available, we hope, in due course.”

South Africa has been hit by fourth wave of Covid, says health minister

08:59 , Liam James

South Africa is experiencing a fourth wave of Covid due to the omicron variant, the country’s health minister has said.

The new variant, which is litte understood and has prompted precautionary measures from governments around the world, was first detected in southern Africa.

Joe Phaala, South African health minister, said the country could manage without stricter lockdown restrictions over Christmas.

India expecting milder symptoms from omicron

09:15 , Liam James

India expects that the omicron variant will cause less severe disease thanks to vaccination and high prior exposure to the Delta variant, the health ministry said,

“Given the fast pace of vaccination in India and high exposure to Delta variant ... the severity of the disease is anticipated to be low,” the ministry said. “However, scientific evidence is still evolving.”

Both of India's first two Omicron patients, reported yesterday, showed mild symptoms, it added.

Record daily Covid cases in Slovakia

09:33 , Liam James

Slovakia has reported a record number of daily Covid-19 cases, at 15,278.

There were 3,404 people in hospital with the virus in the country of 5.5 million.

Slovakia has a low rate of vaccination for Europe, with only 46.1 per cent fully vaccinated.

Russia’s latest Covid death count

09:48 , Liam James

Russia has reported 1,217 deaths from Covid in the past 24 hours.

After reporting very few deaths in the first waves of the virus, Russia’s daily totals have risen to average more than 1,000 a day for the past month or so.

Covid booster vaccines may offer good protection against new variants, study shows

10:04 , Liam James

A landmark report suggests receiving a third Covid jab leads to good levels of protection from the virus, as health officials and ministers scramble to get ahead of the new omicron variant, writes Sam Hancock.

Scientists studying the effects of so-called booster vaccines said the body’s T cell immune response, after a third jab, is such that it may provide protection from hospital admission and death.

The CovBoost study – published in The Lancet – also appears to legitimise the UK’s decision to primarily offer Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna as a third shot, with mRNA jabs leading to the most significant rise in immunity levels.

Covid booster vaccines may offer protection against new variants, study shows

Routine NHS care must take hit to meet booster deadline | Exclusive

10:20 , Liam James

Senior NHS leaders have warned the only way to hit the government’s booster vaccine deadline will be to reduce or cancel routine care, as they await direction on how to roll out the plan, writes Rebecca Thomas.

Speaking with The Independent, several NHS leaders have said it is inevitable that ramping up Covid-19 vaccination services to meet the government’s January deadline will draw healthcare staff away from non-urgent treatment.

Get the full report here:

Routine hospital care ‘will be hit’ if NHS to meet booster deadline

‘Keep calm and carry on’ with Christmas plans

10:38 , Liam James

Revellers are urged to “keep calm and carry on” with their Christmas festivities depsite uncertainty surorunding the spread of the omicron variant of coronavirus.

Oliver Dowden, chair of the Conservative party, said the restrictions in place, including face coverings in some public places, were “sufficient” to handle the new variant.

He told Sky News: “The message to people, I think, is fairly straightforward - which is: keep calm, carry on with your Christmas plans.

“We've put the necessary restrictions in place, but beyond that keep calm and carry on.”

Sage member 'would not feel safe’ at Christmas party

10:48 , Liam James

A Sage member has warned that he would not feel safe going to a Christmas party this year as Boris Johnson insisted festive plans need not be disrupted by the omicron variant of coronavirus.

Professor Peter Openshaw, a member of the Sage sub-group New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), said “the chances of getting infected were too high” to have a party.

Prof Openshaw, an expert in experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said: “We have not been planning to have a Christmas party.

“Because with things as they are, regardless of Omicron, we thought that the chances of getting infected were too high.”

Asked about the prime minister's stance, he said: “Personally, I wouldn't feel safe going to a party at the moment, if it involves being indoors in an enclosed space where you're close to other people, and people are not wearing masks.

“Even if they've been tested and vaccinated, I wouldn't feel safe.”

Government ‘determined’ to keep routine NHS treatments going through winter

11:55 , Liam James

The government is determined to support routine treatments on the NHS through the winter, health minister Edward Argar said.

Senior NHS leaders yesterday told The Independent that routine treatments would have to be reduced or cancelled in order to meet the government’s booster vaccine deadline of the end of January.

In a statement to the House of Commons today, Mr Argar said: “We are determined to maximise the capacity of the NHS to keep elective services going over the winter months, so that people can keep getting routine treatments like hip surgery and diagnostic tests.”

Nearly 4 in 10 took lateral flow test last week

12:15 , Liam James

Around 4 in 10 (37 per cent) adults took a lateral flow test in the last seven days, according to the Office for National Statistics.

A survey of 3,000 adults also asked how often people reported results to the NHS.

31 per cent said they always reported the result, 25 per cent said they sometimes did and 24 per cent said they never did.

WHO says no omicron deaths so far in call for more jabs

12:34 , Lamiat Sabin

There have been no reports of deaths related to the omicron variant so far, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) official.

The organisation has urged countries to boost capacity for vaccinating citizens, adding that travel restrictions alone merely “buys time”.

“Border controls can buy time but every country and every community must prepare for new surges in cases,” Takeshi Kasai, the WHO‘s western Pacific director, told a media briefing.

“People should not only rely on border measures. What is most important is to prepare for these variants with potential high transmissibility. So far the information available suggests we don’t have to change our approach.”

Mr Kasai urged countries to fully vaccinate vulnerable groups and stick to preventive measures such as mask wearing and social distancing.

Omicron has been listed as a “variant of concern” by the WHO and scientists are still gathering data to establish how severe and contagious it is just as parts of Europe have been hit by surges of winter infections by the delta variant.

“I have not seen reports of omicron-related deaths yet,” WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a UN briefing in Geneva.

But vaccine makers should prepare for the likelihood of adjusting their products to protect against omicron, he said.

Doctor in India with no travel history tests positive for omicron

12:50 , Lamiat Sabin

A doctor in India who has not travelled abroad is one of the two people who tested positive for the omicron variant in the country.

The discovery has sparked concerns that the variant has been more widespread than initially thought.

The other person who tested positive for the new variant is a 66-year-old South African national who has already left India, federal health authorities said on Thursday.

Both the patients tested positive in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

Read more here from Namita Singh

Indian doctor with no travel history tests positive for omicron

Thai paper slammed for ‘hunting African visitors’ headline

13:10 , Lamiat Sabin

A newspaper in Thailand has attracted public backlash for its “poor choice” of words in a headline about African people and omicron.

The Bangkok Post on Thursday tweeted a picture of its print edition’s front page with the main headline reading: “Govt hunts for African visitors”.

It comes after the new variant of coronavirus, omicron, was first reported by South Africa on 25 November.

Thailand's health authorities on Wednesday said they were tracking down around 783 travellers who have arrived in Thailand from various southern African countries since 15 November amid fears over the Covid variant.

Read the full story here by Shweta Sharma

Thai government reprimands newspaper for headline saying it is ‘hunting for Africans’

NHS leaders in the dark over government’s booster rollout plan

13:30 , Liam James

NHS leaders have still not been told how the government expects them to manage a huge expansion of the booster vaccine campaign, nearly a week after it indicated the move to jab tens of millions of people, writes Rebecca Thomas.

One senior NHS director in the West Midlands said: “It’s a bit of an issue really, saying they’re going to ratchet up the programme. There’s quite a lot toing and froing and we don’t know quite where it is going to land really in terms of the vaccination programme and how it’s going to be delivered.

“As with every stage of this we’ll find a solution about how to get the vaccine to people, but the way the government has been doing it has been ham fisted.

Read the full story here:

NHS leaders in the dark over government’s booster rollout plan

Prepare to adapt vaccines for omicron, says WHO

13:48 , Liam James

Vaccine producers should plan to tailor their products to the omicron variant, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

Christian Lindmeier, WHO spokesman, said the agency was continuing to study the transmissibilty and severity of the new variant.

He told a UN briefing in Geneva: “It is very recommendable that vaccine manufacturers already start planning ahead and plan for the likelihood for having to adjust the existing vaccine.

“That's good not just to wait until the final alarm bell rings.”

‘No plans’ to make jabs mandatory, says No 10

14:01 , Liam James

The government has “no plans” to make vaccinations mandatory, Downing Street has said.

Asked if jabs could ever be made compulsory – or curbs enforced on the unvaccinated, as Germany is now doing – Boris Johnson’s spokesman told reporters: “It’s not something that we would look to introduce.

“You’re aware of the changes we made in terms of social care settings and for NHS workers, given the importance of protecting the most vulnerable in our society. But there’s no plans above and beyond that in that regard.”

‘Immune imprinting’ by Covid shapes future response

14:22 , Liam James

The variant of Covid that causes a person’s first infection will shape their immune response to future contact with the virus, according to a new study from Imperial College (IC) scientists.

This is known as “immune imprinting” and the scientists said it can mean that immunity to the virus wanes at different rates depending on how they were infected.

They said their findings could have implications for future vaccine development.

Vaccines should be “future-proofed” to take maximum advantage of immune imprinting, they said.

No 10 refuses to give details of any planned ‘private’ Christmas parties

14:40 , Liam James

Any staff parties held at Downing Street over Christmas would be “private events” that would not be publicly announced, No 10 has said.

Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “The prime minister has said that there will continue to be festive events in the run-up to Christmas. You’ll have seen earlier this week the prime minister do the switching on of the No 10 Christmas tree lights.”

Asked if he would therefore inform reporters if there were plans for a No 10 Christmas party for staff, he clarified: “Obviously, events that happen in No 10 that are private events, we wouldn’t inform you … We obviously wouldn’t set out details of private functions in No 10.”

Covid infections up across UK, but no link to Omicron found – ONS

15:10 , Liam James

The rate of Covid infection has risen in all four UK nations and remains at a record level but has not been influenced the arrival of the omicron variant, according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.

Around one in 60 people in England had Covid-19 in the week to 27 November, up from one in 65 the previous week.

The figure was round one in 50 during the January 2021 peak, which led to a surge in hospital admissions and deaths, along with a nationwide lockdown.

But there are not currently similar numbers of people becoming seriously ill due to the protection offered by vaccination.

Sajid Javid reveals snogging his wife under mistletoe is ‘family tradition’

15:23 , Liam James

The government will not be outlawing snogging under mistletoe this Christmas, Sajid Javid said in revealing that the kiss is an annual tradition for him and his wife.

The health secretary said it is a “Javid family tradition” for the pair to kiss under mistletoe when he said it was none of the government’s business if people choose to kiss strangers.

The discussion comes after reports of Christmas parties being cancelled amid concerns over the omicron variant of coronavirus.

Full report from Lamiat Sabin here:

Sajid Javid reveals snogging his wife under mistletoe is ‘family tradition’

Steps concert linked to new omicron cases

15:40 , Liam James

A Steps concert in Glasgow is among the sources of new Omicron cases in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The first minister said: “The number of Omicron cases now being reported in Scotland is rising, and cases are no longer all linked to a single event, but to several different sources including a Steps concert at the Hydro on November 22.

“This confirms our view that there is now community transmission of this variant within Scotland. Given the nature of transmission we would expect to see cases rise, perhaps significantly, in the days ahead.”

Steps concert linked to rise in Omicron cases in Scotland

First omicron case in Wales

15:58 , Liam James

Wales has recorded its first case of the omicron coronavirus variant, the Welsh government said.

It was detected in the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board area and is linked to international travel.

Booking for booster jabs from 13 December latest

16:05 , Liam James

The expansion of eligibility for booster jabs will take place from no later than 13 December, NHS England said.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said that all adults should be able to get boosters and that the time between a second dose and booster should be reduced from six months to three months in response to the omicron variant.

But the booking service for the jabs is yet to be updated.

In a letter from the health service released on Friday, it was revealed this would be updated to reflect the reduction of the time between doses to three months “as soon as possible and no later than December 13”.

Oxford University sees two cases

16:25 , Liam James

Two people at the University of Oxford are suspected to have the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

A university spokesperson said they were isolating and close contacts had been notified.

Expansion of Covid booster jabs to start ‘no later than 13 December’, says NHS England

16:44 , Emily Atkinson

The expansion of the Covid booster jab rollout to include adults under the age of 40 will begin no later than 13 December, NHS England has said.

Boris Johnson’s government has pushed for all adults to be made eligible for boosters, and has promised all adults in England will be offered a booster jab by the end of January.

Adam Forrest reports:

Expansion of Covid booster jabs to start ‘no later than 13 December’

UK records over 50,000 positive coronavirus cases for second day running

16:57 , Emily Atkinson

A further 50,584 coronavirus cases have been recorded in the UK today, marking the second consecutive day that the number of positive tests has been above 50,000.

There has been a slight improvement on yesterday’s number, which saw 53,945 positive cases recorded in Britain.

The latest government data brings the 7-day total for UK coronavirus infections to 312,450, up 1 per cent on that of the previous week.

Meanwhile, 143 deaths within 28 days of positive test have been recorded and 831 over the past 7 days, down 5.2 per cent on the week before.

The weekly total of deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate is 1,088.

Another 787 people were admitted to hospital today, bringing the total number of patients to 7,373. Of those people, 895 are occupying beds with ventilators.

First Omicron coronavirus variant case in Wales confirmed

17:15 , Emily Atkinson

The first case in Wales of the Omicron coronavirus variant has been confirmed.

The case is in the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board area and is linked to international travel, the Welsh Government said.

Public Health Wales said there is no evidence of wider community transmission.

Aine Fo has the full story:

First Omicron coronavirus variant case in Wales confirmed

Over 50 per cent of UK local authorities have seen week-on-week rise in Covid-19 infections

17:30 , Emily Atkinson

According to data compiled by the PA news agency, of the 377 local areas in the UK, 201 have seen a week-on-week rise in rates and 176 have seen a fall.

Torridge in Devon continues to have the highest rate in the UK, with 723 new cases in the seven days to November 29 - the equivalent of 1,052.1 per 100,000 people.

This is down slightly from 1,059.4 in the seven days to November 22.

Gwynedd in Wales has the second highest rate, down slightly from 879.6 to 871.6, with 1,091 new cases.

North Devon has the third highest rate, down from 866.9 to 850.6, with 835 new cases.

Newry, Mourne & Down has the highest rate in Northern Ireland (713.9, up from 577.4) and Falkirk has the highest rate in Scotland (600.4, up from 563.7).

The five UK areas with the biggest week-on-week rises are:

Ashford (up from 509.1 to 796.8)

Brentwood (433.7 to 651.2)

Lewes (579.6 to 771.8)

Hart (496.9 to 686.4)

Gedling (443.2 to 629.2)

South Africa record over 16,000 omicron cases in single day

17:45 , Emily Atkinson

South Africa has recorded more than 16,000 new omicron cases of Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, up from 200 to 300 a day two weeks ago.

According to the country’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), the new figures bring the total of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3,004,203. This increase represents a 24.3 per cent positivity rate.

Meanwhile, a further 25 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 89,944.

Covid cases ‘could surge to 15,000 a day’ in Ireland if Omicron variant becomes dominant

18:00 , Emily Atkinson

The number of Covid-19 cases could surge to 15,000 a day after Christmas in Ireland if the Omicron variant becomes dominant, health experts have warned, writes Dominic McGrath.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) said that the new variant could drive up cases during increased social activity over the Christmas period.

In a letter to Government Nphet said that higher levels of socialisation combined with the impact of Omicron could pose a “very real but as yet unquantifiable risk” to the management of Covid-19 over the coming weeks.

Covid cases ‘could surge to 15,000 a day’ if Omicron variant becomes dominant

London has among lowest rates of booster jabs in England

18:10 , Emily Atkinson

Covid-19 vaccine rates in London remain among the lowest in the country, new data has revealed, at almost 10 per cent below the national average in certain age groups.

According to most recent data from NHS England, the capital lags behind other areas in all but two age categories, 18-24 — with 74.2 per cent of those people having had their first dose — and 25-29, with 81.4 per cent having had the initial jab.

Some 2.5 million Londoners are still yet to have their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

London has among lowest rates of booster jabs in England

Omicron variant added to government case numbers for Covid-19 variants

18:25 , Emily Atkinson

Omicron variant detected in 30 countries ‘so far'

18:45 , Emily Atkinson

The omicron variant of coronavirus has so far been detected in 30 countries worldwide, according to recent US government data.

Currently, very little is known about the new variant, however recent spikes in cases in South Africa suggests it might be more contagious.

“I have a lot of hope from the data that we see, that those vaccinated should be able to have a lot of protection,” said Dr. Sikhulile Moyo, the scientist who may have been the first to identify the new variant.

Ireland to reintroduce restrictions on bars and home visits

18:50 , Emily Atkinson

Strict new limits on the hospitality sector in Ireland are set to be reinstated in a big to curb the country’s surge in Covid-19 cases.

It comes as officials warned the new omicron variant was likely to put added strain on the health service.

“The risks associated with proceeding into the Christmas period without some restrictions... is just too high,” Prime Minister Micheal Martin said in a televised address.

EXCLUSIVE: Vaccine decision for children as young as 5 expected next week

19:00 , Emily Atkinson

The UK’s medicines regulator is set to announce a decision on whether to vaccinate children aged 5 to 11 as early as next week, The Independent understands, with a rollout expected in the new year.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is “moving at pace” with its assessment, while a member of Britain’s vaccine watchdog said the group “won’t hang around” in making a recommendation to ministers once it’s concluded if the Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective to use in young children.

However, should the green light be given, it’s expected over-5s won’t start receiving the jab until the new year. The government has made clear that rolling out boosters and vaccinating the unprotected remains the priority – more so now with the threat posed by the omicron variant.

Our science correspondent Samuel Lovett reports:

Vaccine decision for children as young as 5 expected next week

Ireland record over 5,000 new coronavirus cases

19:10 , Emily Atkinson

As of Friday morning, there were 528 people in hospitals with the disease, with 110 patients in intensive care units.

It comes as a further 5,419 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Ireland, the Department of Health has said.

Vaccine manufacturers should plan ahead to adjust existing jabs in light of omicron variant, says WHO

19:29 , Emily Atkinson

Vaccine manufacturers should start to make preparations to adjust their formulas in the event that the existing jabs do not work against the new omicron variant, a World Health Organisation (WHO) member has urged.

The WHO’s spokesman Christian Lindmeier said: “It is very recommendable that vaccine manufacturers already start planning ahead and plan for the likelihood of having to adjust the existing vaccine.

“They should not just wait until the final alarm bells ring.”

Omicron outbreak at Norway Christmas party is biggest outside South Africa, say authorities

19:46 , Emily Atkinson

At least 13 people in Oslo have been infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus following a corporate Christmas party described as a “super spreader event”, and their numbers could rise to over 60 cases, authorities said on Friday.

The outbreak took place at a Christmas party on Nov. 26 organised by renewable energy company Scatec , which has operations in South Africa where the variant was first detected.

“This party has been a super spreader event,” Preben Aavitsland, a senior physician at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, told Reuters by email.

“Our working hypothesis is that at least half of the 120 participants were infected with the Omicron variant during the party. This makes this, for now, the largest Omicron outbreak outside South Africa.”

Via Reuters

US Travel Rules: Can I visit the states and what are the testing and entry requirements?

20:10 , Emily Atkinson

Can I travel to the US and what are the testing requirements?

Sinn Fein leader criticises new Covid-19 restrictions to be introduced in Ireland

20:30 , Emily Atkinson

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald was highly critical on Friday evening of the approach taken by the Government.

“We said to them at months ago that it was a mistake to stop contact tracing in schools.

“We said to them that we needed widespread access to antigen testing.”

“We and others said that the issue of ventilation in schools and beyond was essential,” she told RTE News.

She said she supported any measures to keep people safe, but called for a “dramatic and fundamental change” in Government handling of the pandemic.

New Covid restrictions in Ireland after ‘stark advice’ from health officials

20:50 , Emily Atkinson

Ireland will reintroduce some Covid-19 restrictions for the Christmas period, following “very stark” advice from health officials, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said.

A range of restrictions will be in place from December 7 to January 9, including the shuttering of nightclubs and new limits on household gatherings.

It comes amid concern about increased socialising at Christmas and the threat posed by the new Omicron variant of coronavirus.

Dominic McGrath reports:

New Covid restrictions after ‘stark advice’ from health officials

Bring back ‘work from home’ guidance to tackle omicron, top advisers tell government

21:10 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson’s government should consider bringing back “work from home” guidance in bid to tackle the spread of the Covid omicron variant, top scientific advisers have recommended, writes Adam Forrest.

The full official notes from the latest Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) meeting – published on Friday – show that the experts believe remote working is a “highly relevant” way to reduce transmission of the new variant.

The Sage committee also warned ministers that they may not be able wait for data on omicron before deciding whether to bring in more restrictions.

Bring back ‘work from home’ to tackle omicron, top advisers tell No 10