Boris Johnson has today warned of a “blizzard from the east” which could derail his hopes for a Christmas free of disruption from coronavirus restrictions.
The prime minister said there was nothing in the data now which suggests that the UK should move to the government’s Plan B, involving compulsory face masks, advice to work from home and Covid vaccine passports for crowded venues.
But he warned that some areas of Europe are now seeing a “storm of infection” which could spread across the Channel to Britain.
As experts gave the go-ahead for booster jabs for over-40s and second vaccine shots for 16 and 17 year-olds, Mr Johnson urged everybody to take up the offer of inoculation as soon as possible to ward off the danger of new restrictions.
The decisions of the 25 per cent of over-70s who have still not had their booster jab will “make all the difference” to the kind of festive season Britain enjoys this year, after its effective cancellation in 2020, he said.
Asked whether he could guarantee a normal Christmas season, Mr Johnson said: “We don’t see anything in the data at the moment to suggest that we need to go to plan B. We’re sticking with with Plan A.
“But what we certainly have got to recognise is that there is a storm of infection out there in parts of Europe. You can see those numbers ticking up very sharply in some of our continental friends.
“And we’ve just got to recognise that there is always a risk that a blizzard could come from the east again, as the months get colder. The best protection for our country is for everybody to come forward and get their booster.”
Mr Johnson said it was “very good news” that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation had today authorised an extension of the booster scheme.
“When you look at what’s happening in the pandemic at the moment, sadly there are people in intensive care who are suffering badly from Covid but they are all the unvaccinated .
“If you can get your booster, then your immunity goes right back up to 95 per cent.
“So far, we’ve got 75 per cent of everybody over 70 getting a booster. That’s a huge number of people, but it’s that further 25 per cent that will make all the difference to the winter, to Christmas, to our plans going forward, because it’s that extra level of protection that we really need.
“So the message is ‘Anybody over 70, come forward and get your booster. Anybody over 50, come forward to get your booster. Now, in the next week or so, anybody over 40 as well, come forward and get your booster.”
