Fears of fresh Omicron restrictions within DAYS

Fresh Covid restrictions could be imposed within days as ministers put plans in place to recall Parliament during Christmas if cases of the Omicron variant hit 1million a day by the New Year. On another dramatic day of the coronavirus crisis: The Omicron variant has become dominant in London barely two weeks after it was first detected, health chiefs revealed today; But Omicron is causing milder disease than Delta in patients in the epicentre of the new Covid variant, the first major real-world study in South Africa confirmed; Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency, said vaccine passports, WFH and other curbs will be needed for 'the next four to eight weeks' to prevent the NHS from being 'overwhelmed' by the Covid variant; Sajid Javid and his top health advisers were today accused of scare-mongering after clarifying that gloomy models do estimate that 200,000 Britons could be catching Omicron every day; Nicola Sturgeon re-introduced social distancing and asked Scots to cut down on socialising in the run up to Christmas today; Care bosses have warned homes will not have enough staff to deal with NHS orders for hospitals to discharge as many patients as 'soon as practically possible' to handle the expected Omicron surge; Mr Javid today confirmed all countries will be removed from the Government's international travel red list from 4am tomorrow because Omicron is already running rampant in the UK; A new super-variant could be created if Omicron and Delta infect someone at the same time, one of Moderna's bosses has warned; The Department of Health reported 59,610 overall coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, up more than 30 per cent in a week and the highest number since the peak of the second wave on January 9. Britain's booster drive is being ramped up to beat the Omicron Covid variant Omicron becomes DOMINANT in London: Capital's hospital admissions have risen 50% since variant first emerged The Omicron Covid variant spreading at a ferocious pace in the UK has become dominant in London barely two weeks after it was first detected, health chiefs revealed today. Children appeared to have a 20 per cent higher risk of hospital admission with complications during the new wave than the initial outbreak, despite the numbers still being tiny As a crude rate, Omicron is currently causing a third fewer hospital admissions than Delta did during its entire wave — 38 admissions per 1,000 Omicron cases, compared to 101 per 1,000 for Delta The study also found that two doses of Pfizer's vaccine still provides 70 per cent protection against hospital admission or death from Omicron, compared to 93 per cent for Delta Waning immunity from two Pfizer doses was found to offer just 33 per cent protection against Omicron infection, explaining why the country has seen a meteoric rise in case numbers NHS in crisis mode as it orders hospitals to empty 'as many patients as possible' into care homes, hospices or HOTELS NHS bosses have ordered hospitals to discharge as many patients as possible off wards and into care homes and even hotels to handle the predicted Omicron surge. Omicron becomes DOMINANT in London: Capital's hospital admissions have risen 50% since variant first emerged and graphs show how quickly it has taken off in the country at large The Omicron Covid variant spreading at a ferocious pace in the UK has become dominant in London barely two weeks after it was first detected, health chiefs revealed today.