Covid: Omicron hospital cases could surge, warns Whitty

Hospitals are facing a significant increase in the number of people being admitted with the Omicron variant of coronavirus, England's chief medical officer has warned.

Prof Chris Whitty's comments came as the UK recorded 59,610 new Covid cases, the highest number since January.

Vaccination centres have continued to see long queues for the booster jab.

In Scotland, people are being urged to limit socialising before Christmas and distancing rules will return to shops.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland is facing a "likely tsunami" of new infections of Covid in the weeks ahead, with a "very significant" impact on health services.

MPs have voted for new Covid measures for England introduced in response to the Omicron variant.

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Downing Street has said no further restrictions are being planned for England, but at a virtual cabinet meeting Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of a "huge spike" of infections.

Prof Whitty told the meeting it remained too early to say how severe the Omicron variant was but that the UK should expect a significant increase in hospitalisations, Downing Street said.

The UK Health Security Agency has estimated the current number of daily infections of the Omicron variant in the UK is around 200,000.

It said 633 additional cases were reported on Tuesday, taking the total number of confirmed cases of the variant to 5,346.

Chief medical adviser to the UK Health Security Agency, Dr Susan Hopkins, told a committee of MPs the Omicron variant was re-infecting more people than the previously dominant Delta variant.

She said the UK faced "a very difficult four weeks ahead" and will "need some level of restrictions in place for the next four to eight weeks".

In other developments:

• Wales' health minister says tougher restrictions cannot be ruled out over Christmas

• All 11 countries will be removed from the UK's travel red list after ministers acknowledged the spread of the Omicron variant meant the rules on longer had much purpose

• West End hits The Lion King and The Life of Pi are among a number of shows that have been forced to cancel performances

• Exceptionally high demand saw a temporary lack of in-person PCR tests in England

In the Commons, dozens of Conservative MPs voted against the introduction of mandatory Covid passes for large venues in England. But the measure will go ahead because of the support of Labour.

MPs also backed making face masks compulsory in most indoor settings and new self-isolation rules.

The Department of Health and Social Care said 75% of over 50s across the UK have had now their booster vaccine and more than a million people have booked a jab since the prime minister announced the scheme's expansion on Sunday evening.

The booking service for boosters will be expanded to all adults in England on Wednesday and in a new television advert England's chief medical officer urged the public to get their jab.

Professor Whitty said Omicron was "highly infectious and spreading fast", adding: "Boosters... should significantly reduce your risk of serious illness and hospitalisation."

There were busy scenes at a vaccination centre in Bristol

A total of 513,722 booster and third doses were given across the UK on Monday.

The prime minister thanked people who "queued for hours to get their jabs", with his official spokesman saying: "We want to go further and faster and we will continue to do that as we expand."

The UK's four chief medical officers have advised that the waiting period where people are monitored after getting a Pfizer or Moderna jab being used in the booster rollout - in case of an allergic reaction - should be temporarily suspended.

They said scrapping the 15-minute observation period would speed the process up at vaccination centres and allow more people to get boosters.

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