Image source, Getty Images

Some important news now for winter sun-seekers - Brits travelling to Spain for non-essential reasons such as tourism will require a certificate of vaccination as of today.

Previously, British travellers could provide a negative PCR test.

The change - which affects travellers aged 12 or over - is driven by concerns over the new Omicron strain.

There have been two confirmed cases of the variant in Spain, with several more suspected cases.

New rules on mask wearing and self-isolation were voted in by MPs yesterday in response to the new more transmissible Omicron Covid variant.

Conservative MP Craig MacKinlay voted against the rules as he could see "nonsense creeping in", he tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He says: "Say you've been invited to a house party over the Christmas period, on the way to the party you go in the off-licence and you have to wear a mask but you go to the party - indoors, lots of people, friendly environment - you don't."

He says self-isolation rules caused him the most concern because of the term that appeared repeatedly "suspected to have Omicron".

"We had no guidance from the minister as what 'suspected to have' really means," he says.

"I'm just concerned are we going to go down the route of a pingdemic which we saw earlier on in the year where millions of people were taken out of work and schools closed," he says.

"I'm already seeing Christmas dos being cancelled by people and that's not what we want to see."

Image source, Getty Images

The World Health Organization has said people who are unwell or vulnerable should delay travel if they are not fully vaccinated.

In its latest travel advisory, external, the UN agency includes in that category people over 60, and those with conditions like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

This is in line with the WHO's previous advice for travel during the pandemic, and comes amid concern about the new Omicron variant.

The WHO also restated its position that blanket travel bans will not prevent the spread of the variant.

More on this here.

Why bother with boosters over tweaking Covid vaccines?published at 09:38 GMT 1 December 2021

09:38 GMT 1 December 2021

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

Image source, PA Media

There’s been much talk of the ability of Omicron to get around some of the defences built up by vaccination.

So why bother with boosters? Why not tweak the vaccines like manufacturers say they can?

When it comes to immunity vaccines do two things: protect us from infection and from serious illness.

Some of the variants that have emerged, including Delta which is dominant in the UK, have reduced the ability of the vaccines to protect against infection.

On paper it looks like Omicron may do the same although it’s still too early to tell. But the vaccines have held up very well in protecting against serious illness for all variants so far.

The booster dose has been shown to significantly increase the immune response so will be clearly beneficial even if the worst fears are realised about Omicron.

What’s more, new vaccines would take 100 days to produce and then you’ve got to get them into arms. The current vaccines are available now.

Some scientists also caution against changing the vaccines because in the longer-term it could put us in a worse position.

Their argument is the vaccines were based on the original Wuhan strain which is most likely to share common features with all variants.

If we try to match vaccines to one particular variant we risk another popping up on the other side “family tree” that vaccines will struggle to cope with even more.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

The man poised to become Germany's next chancellor has proposed that the country's parliament vote on making Covid vaccinations compulsory.

Olaf Scholz has backed mandatory vaccination as a way of defeating a fourth wave of infections.

He told a TV station that he'd like to see this in place by early February or March.

"We already have general vaccination obligation, for example for measles, which is mandatory in certain areas," he said.

German leaders - including the outgoing chancellor, Angela Merkel - have been discussing bringing in new restrictions, including ones directed at unvaccinated people. A decision is expected tomorrow.

It comes after Greece announced plans to make Covid vaccinations mandatory for people aged 60 and over.

Austria is expecting to start compulsory Covid vaccinations in February.

Adam Fleming
Chief political correspondent

A Number 10 source has denied reports in The Mirror , externalthat there were parties in Downing Street in November and December last year.

The paper says the prime minister gave a speech at a crowded leaving party for an aide during the second lockdown.

It also reports there was a "festive bash" in Downing Street days before Christmas when London was under tier three restrictions.

"There were no parties," the source says.

This is an upgrade of the on-the-record language last night when a spokesman said: "We absolutely do not recognise this account. Covid rules have been followed at all times."

The health secretary says the vaccination programme will need to deliver one million more jabs a week to meet the government's target for Covid boosters.

Sajid Javid says the programme is being expanded but he acknowledges more volunteers are needed.

"In the last week we had about 2.4 million jabs across the UK. We are going to need to do around a million more ... but I think it can be done," he tells BBC Breakfast.

"Existing national vaccination centres and the hospital hubs, many of them will open for longer. Some of the people there are already committed to doing extra hours or they know where they can find the volunteers they want.

"We are also going to have more pharmacies than ever before - 1,500 pharmacies across the country - and more GPs will be involved as well. "In terms of volunteers, we do absolutely need more volunteers."

The health secretary has been talking in more detail about Covid and Christmas party plans to BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Sajid Javid is urging people to be "sensible" if they are out celebrating over Christmas.

He says: "If you are invited to a Christmas party, there's quite a few people there, maybe you want to take lateral flow test before you go. Go to the party, but just be cautious."

Asked if he would wear a mask if he was at a party, Javid says: "It depends if I am walking around or sitting down. It depends if I'm eating. People just need to make a decision based on the guidance."

The Cabinet minister defends the government's decision to make face coverings compulsory on public transport and in shops in England but not in hospitality settings.

"The job of government is to listen to expert advice and then make a balanced and proportionate judgment. That's what we've done," he says."We've acted swiftly. But I think what we've said on face coverings and the other measures that we have taken is a balanced and proportionate approach."

Image source, Getty Images

The impact of the Omicron variant on the UK is highly uncertain but may require a "very stringent response", government advisers have said.

The BBC has seen leaked minutes of a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) held on Monday.

In them, Sage says officials should prepare now for a "potentially significant" wave of infections while data on the variant is being collected and analysed.

The minutes add that it is "highly likely" Omicron can escape immunity caused by previous infection or vaccination to some extent.

Read more

More from the health secretary who says the NHS is working to suspend some of the workload of GPs so they can concentrate on the vaccination programme.

Sajid Javid tells BBC Breakfast: "The NHS is working on that right now with GP representatives.

"I am confident that they will work out a way where some of the workload of GPs can be temporarily suspended or GPs can be helped in other ways so they can concentrate on vaccine delivery."

He urges people who are struggling to book a booster jab to contact their MP.

"If they have contacted their GP and they are not getting anywhere, the best they can do right now is probably contact their Member of Parliament directly and that will come to me and we will do everything we can to help," he says.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid tells BBC Breakfast he does not think people needed to change plans for Christmas parties.

He says people should be "a bit cautious", by taking precautions such as a lateral flow test or wearing a mask.

He adds guidance is already out there and says people have been sensible and cautious throughout the pandemic and know when to take a test now and when to take precautions.

It comes after a Downing Street news conference on Tuesday when Prime Minister Boris Johnson urges people to get a jab but suggests they should not cancel Christmas plans.

He says people do not need to cancel Christmas parties and nativity plays, adding that the government is taking a "balanced and proportionate" approach in response to the new variant.

If you missed his news conference yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the government target is for all adults in England to receive a Covid booster by the end of January, with temporary vaccination centres to be opened up, as at other stages of the coronavirus vaccine rollout.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are in charge of their own rollouts.

Image source, Getty Images

Australian police have arrested three people who broke out of a Covid quarantine compound in the middle of the night.

The Howard Springs centre near Darwin in the Northern Territory is one of Australia's main quarantine facilities for people returning to the country.

Police say the trio scaled a fence to break out of the facility.

Officers found them after a manhunt on Wednesday. All had tested negative for Covid the day before.

Officials have not stated whether the escapees were returning travellers or locals in quarantine.

Read the full story

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

The scientists are clear - accelerating the booster programme will be crucial to see off a deadly wave of Omicron, if the worst fears about the new variant are realised.

It is why ministers have agreed to offer boosters to the whole adult population and halve the gap between the second dose and booster to three months. But, of course, it will make a difference only if those jabs are in arms.

Ministers have set a target of every eligible adult being able to book a jab by the end of January. It applies to England only, although the devolved nations are putting in plans to ramp up their own programmes.

Can it be done? Crucially, there is plentiful supply.

The last of the 100-million order from Pfizer is due to be delivered in the coming weeks. That alone, without factoring in supplies of the Moderna vaccine, would be enough to vaccinate everyone.

Instead, the challenge lies in increasing the amount of jabs the NHS can administer.

Read more from Nick

Labour's new shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has said people should be required to have a lateral flow test before flying into the UK.

He tells BBC Breakfast: "I don't want people to have to change their plans for Christmas and they shouldn't need to if the government does everything within its power to make sure that we are tackling the virus.

"The booster campaign announced this week is something we welcome - we think the government can achieve around half a million booster jabs a day, especially if they use services like community pharmacies, pop-up clinics, really redoubling their effort.

"But there are other things that government can do too - we don't think it's right that people arriving into the UK from overseas are not being tested before they leave the country of origin - it's possible for people to travel to the airport, get on a plane, arrive in busy, crowded departure halls, get on a train or a Tube or a bus back home without having had a test for a couple of days.

"That doesn't make sense."

He adds: "We would urge [the government] to act quickly so that no-one has to be the Grinch that stole Christmas."

Image source, Getty Images

Health leaders have warned that expanding the booster rollout poses a big challenge. Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents the healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, says accelerating the booster rollout will have "consequences" for a health service that was already stretched.

"We need to be realistic about what the health service is going to be able to do when it is prioritising these booster programmes," he adds.

The doctors' union, the BMA, warns GPs are already working extra hours and will struggle to maintain their existing workload if they are required to help roll out boosters.

Dr Phil White, from the BMA's GP Committee in Wales, says: "If they want us to be involved in a Covid booster campaign then of course something has to give."

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, says the January target is "a huge logistical challenge" for the health service but ramping up the booster rollout is "absolutely the right thing to do".

Image source, Getty Images

As we just mentioned, NHS England is to issue detailed guidance to hospitals, pharmacists and GPs about the major expansion of the Covid booster vaccine programme.

Hospital hubs will be asked to offer jabs to the public as well as NHS staff and more pharmacies will be used.

The government is aiming to offer all eligible adults in England a booster jab by the end of January in response to the new Omicron variant, with people being invited to book a third dose three months after their second.

Yesterday, the prime minister said booster doses would be given at 1,500 community pharmacy sites and extra hospital hubs in England - and that 400 military personnel would also be on hand to help with the rollout.

Northern Ireland has also announced extra vaccination clinics to meet demand. Scotland and Wales have said their booster programmes will be ramped up, but are yet to lay out the full details.

Read more

Welcome to our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. For those of you lucky enough to have just woken up, here are the main headlines:

• NHS England is to issue detailed guidance to hospitals, pharmacists and GPs about the major expansion of the Covid booster vaccine programme
• The impact of the Omicron variant on the UK is "highly uncertain" but may require a "very stringent response", government advisers have said
• Northern Ireland has also announced extra vaccination clinics to meet demand. Scotland and Wales have said their booster programmes will be ramped up, but are yet to lay out the full details
• Meanwhile, Australian police have arrested three people who broke out of a Covid quarantine compound in the middle of the night.