Prime Minister confirms move to Plan B in England

The Prime Minister has today (Wednesday) confirmed that England will move to Plan B following the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the UK.

In a Downing Street news conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined the new rules. 

From this Friday (10th 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. For that reason, face masks will not be required in hospitality settings.

From Monday (13th December), those who can will be advised to work from home.

From next Wednesday (15th December), and 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 – including 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.

The PM described the new rules as 'proportionate and responsible'

568 cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the UK. 

Early analysis from the UK Health Security Agency suggests the doubling time could be as little as 2.5 to 3 days.

Mr Johnson said: "We do not yet know Omicron’s severity, its exact rate of transmission, nor indeed the full effectiveness of our vaccines against it.

"It’s become increasingly clear that Omicron is growing much faster than the previous Delta variant, and it’s spreading rapidly all around the world."

Face covering regulations will be laid in parliament tomorrow, with the remaining regulations laid on Monday 13 December.

Parliament will debate the measures next week, with a vote expected to take place on Tuesday 14 December.

The government will keep the data under constant review. The regulations are set to expire at the end of January, with a review before the end of the month.