Jack Wright for Mailonline
Published: December 1, 2021 04:33 EST | Updated: December 1, 2021 09:24 EST
The Minister of Health warned today that there is "no guarantee" that there will be no blockade this Christmas.
Sajid Javid told Good Morning Britain that another holiday closure was “not planned”, but the tone had changed ominously in recent days, but he said: “We cannot rule out any specific measures now because we always It’s about looking at the data and doing what we need to do to protect people.
He also urged people to take a Covid test before attending a Christmas party and wear a mask at the party because people are increasingly worried about the so-called "Omicron" variant.
At the Downing Street press conference yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people not to cancel Christmas parties or school nativity dramas. He also promised to "go all out" in strengthening vaccination activities to deal with the spread of the virus.
But after the Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, Dr. Jeanne Harris, advised people to reduce their social level this winter, his government is now accused of "mixed information"-suggesting that restrictions may go further.
Someone worried about extending the restrictions last night. Earlier, it was reported that the new regulations on self-isolation would be written into the law before the end of March next year, which was far beyond the promised December 21 review date. Conservative MPs warned that another "plague" would destroy the economy and education system-today the Minister of Health dismissed such concerns.
Last night, the House of Commons approved the government's new Covid regulations with an overwhelming majority, and only a few Conservatives resisted. Former Minister Steve Baker stated that "we are depriving the public of the right to choose what they do based on fragile and uncertain evidence," while Sir Christopher Chopp called these restrictions "oppressive, authoritarian and authoritarian." .
When asked if he would wear a mask at Christmas parties, Mr. Javid told Sky News’ Kelberly: “It depends on whether I walk around or sit down. It depends on whether I eat or not. People just need to follow the instructions. Make a decision.
Hotel leaders are now worried that their industry will be hit hard again in December this year. Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, told Radio 4's Today program that Saturday's press conference "has a chilling effect on consumer confidence." She warned that on Christmas Eve, "the threat of the economy stopping again".
New restrictions on global travel, including the addition of 10 countries to the UK’s so-called “red list,” the return of test rules and isolation of hotels have also frightened travelers — and triggered a wave of cancellations of airport hotel reservations.
In the latest twists and turns of the coronavirus crisis:
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the stalls at the Christmas Market outside 10 Downing Street, London
Hotel leaders accused the government of facing a wave of cancellations this month
Due to increasing uncertainty about the spread of the Covid variant, travelers are canceling corporate events at the 4-star Fairmont Hotel Windsor booked in January
Boris Johnson insisted that with the number of Omicron cases in the UK reaching 22, he has taken a series of "balanced and proportionate measures" to deal with the threat of new variants.
On the left, Surinder Arora, Chairman of the Arora Group. Yes, Kate Nicholls, owner of UK Hospitality
The overall number of infections in the UK continues to decline, with 39,716 positive tests recorded in the past 24 hours. This is a 6.5% drop from the 42,484 cases last Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of decline in cases. The number of deaths from the virus on Friday fell by 3.6% to 159, and the number of hospitalizations fell by 6.1% to 718
Conservative MPs lashed out at the government after the emergence of new regulations on self-isolation that would be written into the law before March, sparking concerns that these restrictions may far exceed the promised three-week review time.
A new restriction came into effect yesterday, requiring people who have been in contact with Omicron coronavirus variants to self-isolate for 10 days or face a fine of up to £10,000.
Boris Johnson stated that the regulations will be reviewed before Christmas, as well as the requirements for wearing masks in shops and public transportation, and the requirements for returning passengers to undergo PCR testing on or before the next day after arrival.
However, the provisions supporting the self-isolation rule will not expire until March 24, which has triggered strong opposition from the anti-blockade Conservative Party.
Conservative Party members expressed concern that the new rules may lead to new "epidemics", which may undermine the economy and education system.
But Health Secretary Sajid Javid dismissed these concerns today because he said that the number of Omicron cases is still "very low", with 22 confirmed cases across the UK.
When asked if he expects another "plague", Mr. Javid insisted: "The number of cases at this time is very low. This will definitely rise, but the number is very low. I hope it stays this way. I Don't worry about the situation of ``pingdemic'' type.
He later told Radio 4's Today program: "If you are invited to a Christmas party, there are many people there, maybe you want to do an LFT (Horizontal Flow Test) before going. Go to the party, but be careful.
The head of the hotel industry warned that customers’ "fear" is increasing and their Christmas plans may be disrupted for the second year in a row.
Ms. Nicholls of UKHospitality told Today's show: "I think you are seeing the return of uncertainty again.
"Obviously, the news over the weekend has a chilling effect on consumer confidence, and we are beginning to see a small number of cancellations. This is a trickle at the moment, and we are very pleased that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health did say yesterday that the measures they have taken are sufficient. People You can have confidence in continuing with Christmas reservations and Christmas parties. It is essential for hospitality.
"But we need to emphasize this message more strongly to end the uncertainty and the threat of the economy stopping again before Christmas."
'I think this is mainly driven by consumer confidence. I think there is also a sense of fear that their plans may be disrupted again, so regardless of whether the government controls the economy or not, this will undoubtedly have a cooling effect on the hotel industry.
"We have already seen a decline in bookings this year compared to pre-pandemic levels. This will obviously have a further adverse effect on our business.
Arora Group said that those who checked into hotels in Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airport before taking the morning flight were reducing their December bookings. Group chairman Surinder Arora said that due to growing uncertainty about the spread of the Covid variant, they even suspended corporate events held at the four-star Fairmont Hotel in Windsor in January.
He told Today’s program: “It’s a bit like a roller coaster. Obviously we had a quarantine hotel at the beginning of this year, and then in the past few weeks, as we have been working hard to restore some kind of normal state, most hotels have resumed normal operations. Commercial hotel.
"Of course, we were attacked by this new virus last week. Unfortunately, all this has changed. The government has obviously added 10 new countries to the red list, which means they need some hotels for the quarantine plan. "
"In the past few weeks, when the quarantine ended, we were grateful that we had returned to a certain normal. Since this latest news, these people have not received new bookings, but have been cancelled a lot.
'Obviously, we have a lot of temporary, a lot of leisure business, and guests flying out of this country-Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted-usually stay with us for one night before they travel. Especially the early morning flight. Many have been cancelled now.
The new restrictions on the mandatory wearing of masks, testing and travel in the UK were announced late on Monday, and they came into effect at 4 a.m. on Tuesday.
People must wear masks in the following places:
Those who violate the restrictions will be fined £200 on the first offense, and then fined £200 for each subsequent crime, up to a maximum of £6,400.
School children are required to wear masks in public areas, but not in classrooms. The teaching union called for the extension of masks to the curriculum.
All travelers returning to the UK must undergo a PCR test and self-quarantine for 10 days until they receive a negative result.
Anyone who violates the self-isolation law without "reasonable excuses" will face a fine of 1,000 pounds, and for repeat and serious violations, the fine can be up to 10,000 pounds.
Last week, some African countries were added to the UK's red list. they are:
All contacts of anyone who tests positive for the so-called "Omicron" variant must self-isolate-regardless of their age or vaccination status.
This raises concerns about returning to the summer "epidemic madness", when 1 million healthy students were forced to stay at home due to testing and tracking systems.
Anyone who violates the self-isolation law without "reasonable excuses" will face a fine of 1,000 pounds, and for repeat and serious violations, the fine can be up to 10,000 pounds.
Not only leisure business, but also many conference and event bookings have been cancelled. I know, for example, for some larger reservations-we just recently opened our new flagship store at Fairmont Windsor, and they actually booked in January for large companies that said "Actually, we might want to push it back Going farther, we will have a clearer understanding of where we are going later this year.
Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive officer of NHS Providers, which represents the NHS Trust, said that some NHS organizations asked employees to “not mix up” on Christmas Eve due to concerns about employee absenteeism.
She told Sky News that this year is "very different" from last year, and "it is obvious that no one will go to the Christmas party."
She added: "This year, we are in a slightly different place-people will make their own decisions.
"For example, we know that many NHS trusts require their employees not to huddle in groups on Christmas Eve because it poses a potential threat to their health and what they can do.
'So they set an example there.
"I think that at present, if there is no advice to the government, I think it is up to individuals and individual organizations to consider what they will do on Christmas Eve." But this is a very challenging and difficult one.
"What we can encourage everyone to do is to go out to get their boosters and book for them when they are available, because this is where we are wearing masks, washing hands and making sure you are in a ventilated room.
The BBC saw that the leaked records of the emergency scientific advisory group meeting held on Monday showed that scientists believe that enhanced injections may prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death caused by most mutations in the short term.
But the note says: “Any significant reduction in protection against infections can still result in a very large wave of infections.
"This, in turn, can lead to potentially massive hospitalizations, even if it is less protective of serious diseases."
EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said that bookings have been “weak” since the emergence of the Omicron strain, and the government has introduced expensive travel regulations that require passengers to quarantine until their PCR test results show up. Negative, regardless of their vaccination status.
Mr. Lundgren wrote in the "Daily Mail" that within a few hours after the change was announced, the airline's stock price fell by 13%. He said: "Ministers must ensure that their decisions are supported by data and take preventive measures commensurate with the threat."
Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airlines, said that the impact of the peak tourist season in December-when millions of people around the world visit relatives and friends-will cause "major trauma" to businesses.
Critics claimed that Mr. Johnson's statement was overreacted because so far only 22 cases of omicron have been detected in England. Early signs indicate that the variant is a mild form of the virus.
They said these measures are fueling a new atmosphere of fear and damaging consumer confidence-especially in the hotel industry.
Clive Black, a retail analyst at Shore Capital, said: "This will cost the economy billions of dollars. This is a disaster. The Christmas party is over.
Patrick Dardis, the head of Young's Bar, wrote in an email: "Within a few hours of being informed of the discovery of the new Covid variant in the country, the phone calls of 300 bars, restaurants and hotels in the Young's chain It started to ring.
"This is not good news: Christmas parties have been cancelled, dinner reservations have been cancelled, weekend events in December have been postponed until who knows when, and mini holidays have been eliminated." This situation is repeating on land.
Damian Wawrzyniak is an award-winning chef who runs the House of Feasts in Peterborough. He told the BBC: “We cancelled 20 times on weekends, mainly for Christmas parties. The hospitality has been waiting for Christmas, if it’s not What we hope is that there will be some casualties.
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The figure above shows how the NHS waitlist will grow to 2025. The National Audit Office warned that if 50% of missing patients return and demand grows at a rate of 3.2% per year, the list may soar to more than 12 million. But they suggest that if the NHS manages to increase the treatment provided annually by more than 10%, then the list should stabilize at 8 million in 2024 and then drop slightly.
In September, the waiting list for routine hospitalization in the UK NHS reached 5.83 million, which is the latest. But the National Audit Office warned that despite billions of dollars being injected into health services, it could rise to twice this level by 2025
Although the total number of A&E admissions in England was only 2% higher than in August and the same number of people who came forward in the same month (October) in 2019, there were still 7,059 patients who were forced to wait more than 12 hours before attending A&E. The record number is 40% more than the 5,024 people who were forced to wait that long a month ago
The latest data shows that the proportion of cancer patients who started treatment within a month fell to the lowest level since September. The record began in 2009. The health service’s own standards stipulate that 96% of people should start treatment, such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, within 30 days of approval
The Israeli health director stated that people who received the Pfizer Covid booster vaccine or received a second injection within six months should be highly protected from Omicron.
Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said on Tuesday without citing any data that based on "preliminary signs", there was "room for optimism."
Just a few hours later, an Israeli news channel reported that the Pfizer vaccine was 90% effective in preventing symptomatic infections caused by Omicron, only slightly lower than Delta.
Channel 12 also claimed that super mutants are only 1.3 times more infectious than the main Delta mutants-far lower than initially feared.
The news was released after two new cases of Omicron variants were discovered in Israel, bringing the total to four. At midnight on Sunday, the country closed its borders to foreigners to stop the spread of the new virus.
Mr. Horowitz told local reporters on Tuesday: "In the next few days, we will get more accurate information about the efficacy of the Omicron vaccine.
"But there is already room for optimism, and there are preliminary signs that those who have been vaccinated with vaccines or boosters that are still effective will also be protected from this variant."
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said last night that the data released by Channel 12 is not yet available.
But after the co-founder of BioNTech, which developed Pfizer's JAB, expressed his confidence to fight Omicron, he made a comment.
At the same time, Jonathan Neame, owner of Shepherd Neame, the oldest brewer in the UK, said: “We should stay calm, not panic, and remember that most epidemics end up mutating into mild diseases. ."
Catherine Mann, the Bank of England policy maker, and Surentiru, head of economics at the British Chamber of Commerce, said that the GDP data for the entire fourth quarter may be severely hit.
Earlier this year, Hugh Osmond, the founder of Punch Taverns, sued the government for the lockdown of indoor hotels, adding: “Reducing social contact does not reduce risk.”
"What they actually managed to do was temporarily reduce the number of young people infected, which ultimately means that in the long run, more elderly people will be infected with this disease, as the Sage model showed from the beginning.
'We know that current studies in Israel, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States show that once you are infected, none of the variants show greater potential.
"They have done some work on vaccines, but variants will come and go-virus mutation is very, very normal, variants will come and go."
He told the Today program: "You must remember that apart from food and water, social interaction is the most important thing for human mental health.
"If you want to do something bad to humans, after starving them and depriving them of water-in terms of affecting their health and ultimately their physical health, the worst thing you can do to a person is Deprive them of social contact.'
Professor Andrew Hayward, a member of University College London’s Sage, told Times Radio that if the variant is more communicable, it will spread anyway. The question is how fast it will spread before we get additional spread, and whether it will spread. Will reach the peak of protection through vaccination".
He said the goal is always to flatten the curve of any infection wave, adding: “Now, you can do this by starting to increase the pressure as early as possible, or you can do this by slamming the brakes later, and , I guess, I think we need to observe very carefully what happens in the next few weeks, and don’t be afraid to enter Plan B, because this may help us not have to enter a more serious level in the future.
When asked if people should avoid Christmas parties, he said: “I think it’s necessary to think about the control of Covid and what you can do at different levels as an individual, so you know that everything you can do will make a difference. -Wash your hands, wear a mask when you are with other people, keep your distance as much as possible, and minimize large-scale indoor social activities.
"I'm not saying don't go to them at all, but I think it's basically a cumulative thing, so the more you get in touch, the more likely you are to get it and spread it to other people.
"I think it really requires personal choice in this regard. People have different views on risks and different desires to participate in these activities. I think we should respect this."
Regarding whether the measures taken by the United Kingdom against Omicron are not severe enough, Professor Hayward said: "I think it is difficult to judge these uncertainties. I think this must indeed be a political decision."
Speaking of the remaining measures, he said: “Obviously, we have introduced more masks in public transportation and stores, but we may introduce them to other areas.
A terrible report concluded that despite billions of taxpayers’ cash being poured into hospitals, the NHS’ waiting list could double to 12 million by 2025.
The National Audit Office (NAO) stated that during the pandemic, millions of patients missed important care-now they can return to medical services to increase the backlog.
The number of people waiting for NHS care has reached a record 5.83 million. But NAO warned that in a little over three years, this number could double to 12 million.
Its report also warns that health services are severely inadequate on all key goals-including cancer care-with "catastrophic" consequences that can lead to loss of life.
This shows that Boris Johnson's controversial new "health and social care tax" is not enough to prevent hospital waiting lists from continuing to soar.
The report may exacerbate concerns that the NHS will swallow almost all of the newly levied funds in the next few years, leaving little to the collapse of the social care sector.
"Obviously, the enhanced vaccination campaign is very popular, I believe it will help, in fact the last thing is to maintain social distancing and how much we value it."
"I think that at present, one of my concerns is that just before Christmas, social integration will intensify. Considering these circumstances, this timing is a bit unfortunate.
“I’m not saying that these activities should be stopped or prohibited, but I think, you know, people may consider staying outdoors for a while, try to keep their distance, wear masks, may be tested before they go and may have been there. Test after a place and before visiting their relatives at Christmas.
Boris Johnson insisted that with the number of Omicron cases reaching 22 in the UK, he has taken a series of "balanced and proportionate measures" to deal with the threat of new variants.
The mandatory wearing of masks in shops and public transportation came into effect in England yesterday, while testing requirements for international travel have become stricter, and the self-isolation of contacts of confirmed Omicron cases has been restored, even if they have been fully vaccinated.
However, the government believes that enhanced operations are the greatest line of defense against new variants. The Prime Minister promised to provide enhanced injections to everyone who meets the requirements by the end of January. At least 400 military personnel will help the NHS, and the vaccination center "suddenly like a Christmas tree. Appear".
Mr. Javid said that Omicron's cases may be higher, "we must be realistic", and transmission may already occur in the community.
Dr. Harris earlier told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that even “the vaccine seems to be effective, but we found that the variant is more infectious and less infectious, but in a very large number of people, (it) is still It can have a significant impact on our hospital."
"And, of course, our behavior in winter, especially around Christmas, we tend to be more social, so I think all of this needs to be taken into account," she added.
"If we all reduce social contact a bit, it actually helps prevent mutation."
She recommends "be careful and don't socialize when we don't need it" and give booster injections.
These comments caused panic in the hotel industry and contributed to back-seat resistance from the Conservative Party, which opposed the new restrictions.
When asked if we should cancel parties and nativity dramas, Mr. Johnson said: “We don’t want people to cancel such events, and we believe that in most cases, the best thing for children is to go to school. As I have said many times throughout the process, this pandemic.
He also rejected suggestions that England should resume working from home, as happened in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in response to concerns about Omicron.
Scientists believe that Omicron may be more contagious than the main Delta variant and may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine due to its degree of mutation.
After the press conference, Mr. Johnson visited the holiday food market set up in Downing Street. He will be asked again about the government's approach during the question of the Prime Minister of the House of Commons today.
In the House of Commons on Tuesday, 19 Conservative Party members and two opposition cashiers opposed the measures to wear masks.
Approximately 32 Conservatives voted against the self-isolation regulations, while the other two acted as cashiers for the opponents, but these measures passed smoothly.
Sir Graham Brady, who chaired the 1922 Committee of the powerful Conservative Party, said there were "serious concerns" about the "validity of the proposal" and warned against "mission spread".
Javid is just lost, we have had enough covi...
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