Image source, EPA

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has said the government is preparing new Covid restrictions.

These could include a return to mandatory mask wearing outdoors and the wearing of more protective FFP2 masks indoors.

Mr Draghi also warned that the government may make vaccinations mandatory for more types of workers.

Officials are set to meet on Thursday to discuss potential measures.

It comes after other European nations such as Germany and Portugal introduced new restrictions to help tackle the spread of the Omicron variant.

Europe has already seen more than 89 million cases and 1.5 million Covid-related deaths, according to the latest EU figures.

Image source, Reuters

As we bring you the latest on Christmas travel disruption new figures show demand for train journeys has plummeted since the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Passenger numbers were at 53% of pre-pandemic levels on Monday, according to preliminary statistics from the Department for Transport.

That is down from 61% a week earlier, and 68% on 6 December.

People in England have been advised to work from home since 13 December, bringing the country in line with the rest of the UK.

Bus use in Britain outside London was at 62% of pre-virus levels on Monday, down from 78% a week earlier.

Road traffic has remained relatively stable in recent weeks.

Image source, Getty Images

The UK economy grew at a slower pace than first estimated between July and September, revised figures show.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) says during the quarter before Omicron took hold, the economy grew by 1.1%, rather than 1.3%, as Britain emerged from lockdown.

It blames weaker consumer spending, and the impact of energy companies going out of business.

The economy is now 1.5% smaller than it was before the coronavirus pandemic.

Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the ONS, says there was much weaker performance from health and hairdressing across the quarter and households saved less.

"However, household saving was still up on pre-pandemic levels," he says.

Image source, PA Media

Queen guitarist Brian May says he is "optimistic for the future" as he isolates with Covid-19.

May believes he has the Omicron strain of the virus, and has been "congested, feverish and coughing for around two days" but did not have difficulty breathing or lose his sense of taste or smell.

Writing on Instagram on his 10th day of isolation, he says: "My deduction that it was Omicron is based on (1) the speed and pervasiveness of the spread of infection in that room - well over half of a group of 40 or so were infected inside three days, and (2) the symptoms.

"So this new variant is a very different beast from the one which first put all our lives on hold nearly two years ago.

"It's clear this new variant is completely out of control. BUT ... I am optimistic for the future."

He adds: "Just maybe, by next Christmas we may all find that old 'normality' we have been pining for.

"Let's pray that the human race will have learned a few lessons by then."

You can find out more about the symptoms of Omicron here.

Image source, Getty Images

McDonald's is suffering a chip shortage in Japan due to the global supply chain crisis.

The world's biggest fast food company said it is experiencing delays to shipments of the potatoes used to make its famous French fries.

The home of the Big Mac has told the BBC that it will only sell small portions of its fries in the country from 24 to 30 December as a result.

McDonald's said it usually imports the potatoes it uses from a port near Vancouver in Canada.

However, ships have faced delays due to flood damage and the impact of the pandemic on the global supply chain.

It will now turn to alternative measures, including flying supplies to Japan, the company said in a statement, external.

Image source, Monash University

Australian researchers are conducting a trial to see whether squirting a blood thinner into the nose could offer protection against Covid.

The nasal spray uses the cheap drug heparin in an attempt to neutralise Covid’s spike protein.

When sprayed into the nose of an infected person, it appears to make them non-infectious, researchers say.

Researchers hope the spray could help both as an early treatment and as a nasal mask to stop the virus spreading.

Read more here

Image source, EPA

France could see 100,000 new Covid cases a day due to the spread of Omicron, the country’s health minister has warned.

The country is reporting about 70,000 Covid infections a day. It’s thought that Omicron will be the dominant variant in the country by early January.

Health minister Olivier Veran said the government does not have any plans to introduce new restrictions at present.

He added that he expected 22-23 million booster doses to have been administered by Christmas.

More than 94,000 people have died in France from Covid.

Image source, Getty Images

Israel says it plans to become the first country to roll out a fourth dose of the vaccine as the country prepares for a wave of infections driven by the new Omicron variant.

Israel’s pandemic experts have recommended a fourth booster for the over-60s and health workers.

The decision is still pending approval by senior health officials.

According to the country’s heath ministry, there were at least 340 known cases of the variant in Israel.

Read more here

Rail operators are blaming coronavirus-related staff shortages for widespread cancellations during the Christmas getaway.

Here's some of the things they're doing to get people to where they need to be:

• Avanti West Coast says it will remove peak ticket restrictions between Thursday and 3 January in a bid to spread demand
• CrossCountry asks passengers: "Please pull your journey forward to sooner rather than later to get to your end destination as early as possible"
• Greater Anglia says passengers who have booked a ticket on a cancelled service can travel on either the train before or after
• Northern is operating amended timetables due to "Covid and crew unavailability and major engineering works"
• ScotRail is running an amended service on several routes until further notice due to Covid-19 related illness
• TransPennine Express said delays and short-notice cancellations over the next fortnight are due to "a lack of available staff caused by industrial relations issues"

We've been hearing of train delays and cancellations as many travel to be with loved ones for Christmas at the same time that rail services are hit by staff sickness.

The Rail Delivery Group has welcomed the government’s decision for people to end their Covid isolation early, to allow workers to get back to work on the railways.

Seb Gordon from RDG tells BBC Breakfast the hope is "we can get people back into circulation as quick as possible when it is safe".

He says what might sound like only a few staff going off sick can be a real challenge as a train driver might drive 10 trains on a shift.

He says there is some relaxation of peak time restrictions on some trains and urged people to check the service before they set off.

Image source, Getty Images

The news that the self-isolation time for people with Covid in England has been cut from 10 to seven days could save Christmas for many families.

The guidelines can be applied retrospectively so anyone who began self-isolating on 15 December who has negative tests yesterday and today can be freed from quarantine in time to join in the festivities.

But people should not end their isolation early if they are still experiencing symptoms, officials say.

And those ending isolation on day seven are strongly advised to limit contact with vulnerable people, not visit crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, and work from home.

Here's what you need to know about the new self-isolation rules.

Image source, PA Media

Data on the severity of Omicron is "one of the missing pieces" ministers are waiting for, Gillian Keegan tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Asked about reports that government scientists could conclude that the new strain is causing milder disease than the Delta variant, she said: "We ask for it [that data] every day.

"I'm looking forward to receiving it. But we haven't received that officially yet."

She added that there is "a lot of uncertainty in the data".

Image source, PA Media

Health minister Gillian Keegan says the new rules for when people can leave isolation based on testing "will relieve some of the pressure" on staffing in health and social care settings.

We reported the news earlier that people infected with Covid in England can stop self-isolating up to three days early if they test negative twice.

They will now be able to end quarantine after seven days instead of 10 by providing negative lateral flow results on day six and day seven.

Keegan was asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme how much difference she expects the change to make in hospitals and care homes.

She said: "Obviously it will relieve some of the pressure, but obviously we still have to monitor very closely, because we know we had, in the care sector for example, we had quite a lot of vacancies already, so we do monitor that very closely."

Image source, EPA

European leaders are reinstating Covid restrictions as the Omicron variant continues to spread through the continent.

Germany and Portugal are among nations announcing post-Christmas curbs and greater social distancing measures.

The World Health Organization’s top official has warned of “another storm” coming and said the surge will push health systems towards the brink of collapse.

Read more here

Image source, Getty Images

As England awaits news of any further coronavirus restrictions after Christmas here's the situation across the UK:

• Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford will set out plans for post-Christmas Covid restrictions later
• In Northern Ireland there are expected to be "additional asks" made of the public after Christmas following a meeting of Stormont ministers this afternoon
• Scotland has already cancelled large public events, including Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration, for three weeks from Boxing Day
• UK PM Boris Johnson says there will be no new Covid measures in England before Christmas but he cannot rule any out afterwards

If you're in the UK over Christmas here's our guide to the social distancing rules wherever you are.

Image source, MERCK

The UK has signed deals to buy a further 4.25 million courses of antiviral Covid pills for the NHS.

The two new contracts are for 1.75 million additional courses of Molnupiravir and 2.5 million additional courses of Paxlovid.

They will be available from early next year and are both expected to be effective against Omicron.

The tablets will be used to either treat those who are infected with the virus or sometimes protect exposed individuals from becoming infected.

The government is urging all over 50s and most vulnerable to sign up to the national study as soon as they test positive for Covid.

Announcing the deal, Health Secretary Sajid Javid says: “This is a mammoth deal for the UK government and for patients across the country that are set to benefit from these antivirals over the coming months."

Another 90,629 new Covid cases were reported across the UK on Tuesday - slightly down on the all-time highs announced last week.

Meanwhile, a further 897,979 people received their booster jab or third dose.

Image source, PA Media

Rail services across the country are being cancelled in the run-up to Christmas as rising numbers of staff fall ill with Covid.

Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, LNER, Scotrail and West Midlands Railway have all reported cancellations.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) which represents train operators across the UK, says in the past week 5.2% of trains were cancelled, versus an average of 2.9%. And 8.7% of their staff were off sick.

Seb Gordon from Rail Delivery Group tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme operators have to strike a balance between running as many trains as they can and a reliable service.

He says at the moment rail bosses believe that during Christmas week it's important to prioritise running as many trains as possible even if it means there are a few more frustrating short notice cancellations.

He says: "It may be we decide actually we need to prepare for a lower level of staffing over a longer period of time and we will reduce the timetable."

The British public think coronavirus restrictions will kick in after Christmas and want to know where they stand, says the shadow work and pensions secretary.

Jonathan Ashworth tells BBC Breakfast: “There is a sense and anticipation that restrictions are on the way, possibly the day after Boxing Day or in the run up to New Year.

“Businesses need to know where they stand, people need to know where they stand.”

He says in order to give more clarity the PM could say: “Here are a series of measures that we think we need to take but they are dependent on the data.”

Ashworth says he thinks the British people have been doing the right thing to safeguard their Christmas by limiting their socialising and getting booster jabs.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has shortened the coronavirus self-isolation period from 10 to seven days for people who have negative lateral flow test results on days six and seven.

He says the change is being introduced to "reduce the disruption to people's everyday lives" amid rapidly rising cases of the new Omicron variant.