UK raises COVID alert level as Omicron runs rampant
Britain raised its COVID alert level on Sunday in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the virus, as medical authorities warned that hospitalizations are likely to rise sharply over the coming weeks.
The chief medical officers of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland recommended an increase to alert level 4 from level 3 on its 5-point scale, which means they judge transmission of the virus to be high.
“Early evidence shows that Omicron is spreading much faster than Delta and that vaccine protection against symptomatic disease from Omicron is reduced,” the medical officers said in a joint statement.
“Data on severity will become clearer over the coming weeks but hospitalizations from Omicron are already occurring and these are likely to increase rapidly.”
“Both booster vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna – increase the immune response substantially and show good effectiveness although with some reduction compared to Delta,” the medical officers said.
Level 5 – the maximum alert level – would mean the health service is at risk of being overwhelmed.
Johnson warns of Omicron 'tidal wave'
Britain faces a "tidal wave" of the Omicron variant and two vaccine doses will not be enough to contain it, Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said on Sunday, as he accelerated the booster rollout program.
Speaking hours after government scientists lifted the COVID alert level to 4 on a 5-point scale, Johnson said the booster program must go faster because scientists did not yet know if Omicron was less severe than other variants.
"A tidal wave of Omicron is coming," Johnson said in televised statement. "And I'm afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need."
He added that scientists knew Omicron was much more transmissible and that a wave of the variant through a population that was not boosted would result in so many hospitalizations the National Health Service would struggle to cope.
"Everyone eligible aged 18 and over in England will have the chance to get their booster before the New Year," he said.
(Source: Reuters)
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