Prime Minister urges country to 'get boosted now' as Covid infections hit record high
Published: 17:28, 15 December 2021
Updated: 17:53, 15 December 2021
Boris Johnson has urged very adult in the country to get "get boosted now" as Omicron continues to spread.
The Prime Minister held a a press conference this evening to give an update on the variant and booster roll out.
He told how hospital admissions are going up across the country as the UK recorded the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases of the entire pandemic, with 78,610 new cases.
The previous record was was 68,053 on January 8.
The prime minister held a briefing in Downing Street alongside Professor Chris Whitty and NHS medical director Dr Nikki Kanani at 5pm today.
Professor Whitty warned that "records will be broke a lot over the next few weeks" as the rates continue to rise.
But the prime minister added that admissions are coming down among vulnerable age groups where "boosters are in arms".
Mr Johnson also said we are “seeing signs of hope” as a “great national fightback has begun” to get booster jabs.
He told how everyone over 18 in England can use the national booking service to "get boosted now" from two months after their second dose.
Those aged 12 to 15-years-old can book a second jab from Monday and the 15-minute waiting time after a jab is being cut from tomorrow.
But Chris Whitty warned "records will be broke" over the coming weeks after the UK record its highest number of Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.
"It looks as if Delta - which we've had with us for a while - is still flat and the growth is Omicron," he said.
"So what we've got is two epidemics on top of one other. An existing Delta epidemic, roughly flat, and a very rapidly growing Omicron epidemic on top of it."
Meanwhile, Professor Whitty was asked if people should cancel their Christmas plans.
He said most people prioritising "social interactions that matter to them" - and "deprioritising" the ones that matter less.
Boris Johnson issued a stark warning over the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday night.
The Prime Minister has said he intends to have offered a jab to every adult in England by New Year's Eve but warns that routine appointments or some procedures may have to be cancelled to create space in the system.
Patients wanting a third jab - or those who wish to take up the offer of a first or second coronavirus vaccine - should be able to book through the website nhs.uk using their NHS number or personal details.
But huge queues formed at some walk-in booster clinics after the emergency warning.
From today larger venues in England will begin asking visitors to prove their Covid-19 status before allowing them inside.
Covid passes are being introduced after Mr Johnson was able to push through his Plan B restrictions last night despite significant opposition from many Conservative MPs.
Alongside the wearing of face masks in more places than just shops, and guidance asking people to work from home where they can, is a measure now requiring people to prove they are either fully vaccinated or have recently tested negative for coronavirus.
Yesterday, five Kent MPs are among those who voted against Covid passes in England as Boris Johnson suffered his largest Tory rebellion since he became Prime Minister.
Almost 100 Conservatives voted against the government, with the new measures passing because of support from Labour.
The PM’s attempts to quell a rebellion on his own backbenches failed as a large number of his MPs defied the whip to vote against him on the issue of the passes, which have also been known as vaccine passports.
Five Conservative MP's in Kent were among those who joined the revolt, which includes Damian Green (Ashford), Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling), Adam Holloway (Gravesham), Craig Mackinlay (South Thanet) and Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford).
Of the five, only Craig Mackinlay had previously indicated he was going to vote against the vaccine passes.
Damian Green, the former deputy Prime Minister, was among the surprises as Boris Johnson faced a much heavier defeat than expected.
Mr Green said the vaccine passes was simply impractical.
He added: “It’s a gesture, it’s doing something for the sake of doing something.”
Other measures under the government’s Plan B also cleared the Commons, but the vote on Covid passes will be seen as a blow to Mr Johnson’s authority after a challenging week for the PM.
Earlier, Mr Johnson had addressed the 1922 Committee to try and convince them to back his plans.
And he had been individually speaking to those who had publicly said they would oppose the measure earlier in the day.
Some seemed convinced after the meeting, but in the end 126 MPs voted against the use of the passes at nightclubs and large venues.
Some 369 MPs backed the move to introduce Covid passes – which have also been known as vaccine passports – in large venues, giving a majority of 243.
But the division list showed 96 Conservative MPs voted against and two Tory MPs also acted as tellers for the noes.
Eight Labour MPs, 10 Liberal Democrats, six DUP, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and Independent MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Rob Roberts also opposed the regulations, according to the list.
The measures will mean people will have to prove that they are either fully vaccinated or have had a recent negative coronavirus test before they can go to nightclubs and large venues.
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Brad Harper