COVID-19 Plan B Restrictions Announced Today
2021-0232
Plan B Omicrom Covid-19 Restrictions Announced Today
Following the continued concern about the new Omicrom Covid-19 variant, the Prime Minister has announced that England will now move to Plan B measures to help to minimise the spread of the virus.
The main concern is that Omicrom is “significantly more” transmissible than the Delta variant doubling in around 2-3 days, which could lead to more than 1m cases of Omicron by the end of the month.
The new restrictions are:
From Friday 10 December:
- Face coverings will become compulsory in most public indoor venues, such as cinemas, theatres and places of worship.
- There will be exemptions in venues where it is not practical to wear one, such as when you are eating, drinking or exercising.
- Face masks will not be required in hospitality settings.
From Monday 13 December:
- Those who can, will be advised to work from home.
From Wednesday 15 December (subject to parliamentary approval):
- The NHS Covid Pass on the NHS App will become mandatory for entry into nightclubs and settings where large crowds gather. this includes unseated indoor events with 500 or more attendees, unseated outdoor events with 4,000 or more attendees and any event with 10,000 or more attendees.
- People will be able to demonstrate proof of two vaccine doses via the app.
- A negative lateral flow test will also be accepted.
Changes to self-isolation rules:
The Government have set out their intention to introduce daily tests for contacts of confirmed positive cases instead of the ten-day self-isolation period.
In addition, the Prime Minister urged continued vigilance and caution. Everyone should test using a lateral flow device, particularly before entering a high-risk setting involving people you wouldn’t normally come into contact with, or when visiting a vulnerable person.
Lateral flow devices remain free of charge and can be collected from local pharmacies.
Vaccinations and treatments:
- The booster programme is now open to all those over 40, people are urged to come forward and book their booster jabs
- New treatments have been approved for the treatment of Covid-19 and are being rolled out to the most vulnerable
The government will keep the data under constant review. The regulations set to expire six weeks after implementation, with a review after three weeks.
Documents:
- The Prime Minister's statement can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-confirms-move-to-plan-b-in-england
- The slides used to accompany the press conference can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slides-to-accompany-coronavirus-press-conference-8-december-2021
- Updated guidance is here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do
I hope this is useful but if you have any concerns or questions please contact me [email protected]
Author
David Moss
Project management and technical projects. Areas include animal feed, feed adviser register, stakeholder management and health & safety. Secretariat for a number of feed sector committees including the UKFFPA (United Kingdom Former Foodstuffs Processors Association).
