Face masks again mandatory in England to combat omicron

Face masks again mandatory in England to combat omicron

SeattlePI.com

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LONDON (AP) — England imposed new restrictions to combat the omicron variant on Tuesday, with face masks again compulsory in shops and on public transport.

Beginning Tuesday morning, all travelers returning to the U.K. must also take a PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. Previously they had been able to take a lateral flow test and there was no requirement to isolate.

The reintroduction of mandatory face masks brings England closer in line with the rest of the U.K. — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — which had not relaxed coronavirus restrictions as much as England had done over the summer.

About 14 cases of the omicron variant have so far been identified across the U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the new measures will “buy us time in the face” of the new coronavirus variant.

Johnson’s government announced Monday it is expanding its booster vaccine program, with a booster dose to be offered to all those 18 and over three months after people had their second jab. Up until now, only people 40 or over and those deemed clinically vulnerable were eligible for a booster shot.

The change means around 13 million more people will be eligible. So far, the U.K. has given around 17.8 million booster shots.

Johnson is expected to encourage more people to get booster shots in a press conference later Tuesday.

Jenny Harries, who heads the U.K. Health Security Agency, said while there was still uncertainty in understanding the omicron variant, officials hope that the expanding booster shots will “to some extent counter the potential drop in vaccine effectiveness we might find with this variant.”

She also urged people to be cautious and reduce socializing over the holiday season if possible.

When asked if he agreed with Harries' advice for the...

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