Summary

  • Government vaccine advisers recommend the booster jab for 16 and 17-year-olds

  • The JCVI also say vulnerable primary school children should be offered a low-dose jab

  • UK records 106,000 new Covid cases - the first time the figure for daily infections has exceeded 100,000

  • A record 968,665 booster and third doses were reported in the UK on Tuesday

  • Wales has followed Scotland in announcing post-Christmas Covid restrictions

  • A maximum of six people will be allowed to meet in pubs, cinemas and restaurants and 2m social distancing will return

  • And nightclubs in Northern Ireland will have to close from 27 December, BBC News understands

  • Boris Johnson has not ruled out new restrictions in England after Christmas

  • But isolation for positive cases has been cut from 10 days down to seven after two negative tests

  • EU nations including Germany and Portugal have announced post-Christmas restrictions as Omicron cases rise

Live Reporting

Edited by Chris Clayton

  1. What are the newspapers saying?

    Mirror and Star front pages

    Unsurprisingly the newspapers are dominated with reaction to the prime minister's latest announcement on the pandemic. The Daily Telegraph sums up the nuance of his message in its main headline: "Glad tidings for Christmas (but perhaps not New Year)".

    The Daily Express goes with: "Christmas Can Go Ahead, But New Curbs Loom".

    It is "Xmas Cheer And Fear" in the Daily Mirror, while the i's front page headline is "Christmas is happening.

    You can read our full paper review here.

  2. Self-isolation cut from 10 days to seven with negative test

    Lateral flow testGetty Images

    People infected with Covid in England can stop self-isolating up to three days early if they test negative twice, it has been announced.

    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.

    Health Secretary Sajid Javid says it will minimise disruption created by staff shortages for businesses, health services and rail services.

    The new guidance applies to those who are isolating after testing positive for Covid, regardless of their vaccination status.

    But those who are not double-jabbed will still have to isolate for the full 10 days if they are a close contact of a positive case, as is currently the case.

    Here’s everything you need to know about the new guidance.

  3. Good morning

    Thank you for joining us for live coverage of coronavirus in the UK and around the world.

    Here’s a news briefing to start the day: