Leaks suggest the UK is about to tighten COVID-19 restrictions as Omicron cases mount

Boris Johnson arrives at New York for UNGA 2021
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
  • UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson could tighten COVID-19 restrictions this week, reports said.
  • New measures could include instructions to work from home, and vaccine passports in more venues.
  • The Omicron variant of coronavirus is already spreading rapidly across the UK.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson could soon introduce stricter COVID-19 measures this week to try and slow the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, which is spreading rapidly across Britain, multiple outlets including the Mirror and Metro reported.

New measures could include instructions to work from home over the Christmas period, and vaccine passports in crowded venues such as football matches, the Mirror reported.

The new measures come as the Omicron variant, which scientists say could be more transmissible than other variants, begins to spread rapidly across the UK.

Professor Alistair Grant, a scientist who has access to UK government data, said Tuesday the variant was infecting at least 1,000 new people every day, The Times of London reported.

And Professor Francois Balloux, of the University College London Genetics Institute, also said that cases of the variant were doubling every three to four days, Sky News reported.

Sky News reported that Johnson is scheduled to meet with Cabinet ministers on Wednesday afternoon and hold a press conference afterward. It is not clear whether he plans to announce any new measures at the press conference.

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