Published: Thursday 2 December 2021
The latest Covid-19 variant, Omicron, has been identified in the UK and most of the world. The UK Health Security Association is leading investigations into confirmed cases, identifying close contacts and arranging testing as well as investigating the variant to get a better understanding of how infectious and transmissible it is, and how effective vaccines are against it.
Temporary measures have been introduced by the Government as a precaution to slow down the spread of the variant.
The Prime Minister announced on Wednesday 8 December, that the Government’s Plan B for dealing with Covid-19 was coming into force.
From Friday 10 December, you will have to wear face coverings in most indoor public venues, such as cinemas and theatres, unless you are exempt.
From Monday 13 December, you are encouraged to work from home if you can.
From Wednesday 15 December, NHS Covid Passes will also be mandatory to enter nightclubs and certain venues with larger capacities. You must demonstrate two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine or proof of a negative lateral flow test in the last 48 hours.
All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must also now self-isolate, regardless of their vaccination status or age, and will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
There are also changes for some people coming into the UK. There are now eleven red list countries, which are:
- Angola
- Botswana
- Eswatini
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- South Africa
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Anyone arriving in England from these countries will need to book and pay for a government-approved hotel quarantine facility for 10 days. British nationals arriving from these countries must quarantine at home for 10 days and take NHS PCR tests on day two and day eight, even if you already have a lateral flow test booking.
All international arrivals must take a PCR test by the end of day 2 following their arrival and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.
As we continue to learn to live with COVID-19, there are simple things we can do to protect ourselves and others from the virus. This means:
- getting fully vaccinated if you haven’t already
- getting your COVID-19 booster vaccination if six months have passed since your second dose
- letting fresh air in if you meet indoors - meeting outdoors is safer
- getting tested if you have symptoms and before periods of higher risk such as visiting vulnerable people or going to a crowded or enclosed setting
- wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed areas, health settings and on public transport
Find more information on how to stay safe and reduce the spread of COVID-19.