Live: Sajid Javid makes Covid statement in face of spreading new Omicron variant
PM Boris Johnson announced new rules to combat Omicron at the weekend
The Health Secretary will address the House of Commons later today (Image: PA Wire)
England's Health Secretary Sajid Javid is making a statement today about the new Omicron variant of Covid in the UK and the new rules needed to fight it.
Mr Javid will make a statement in the House of Commons, after the worrying new variant of Covid found in South Africa last Wednesday has now been detected around the world.
This weekend the Government brought in travel bans for 10 southern African nations in a bid to slow the arrival of Omcron in the UK - with countries added to the red list.
On Saturday, PM Boris Johnson announced new rules to combat Omicron - including the return of mandatory masks in shops and on public transport.
Anyone coming into the UK will also need to take a PCR test.
On Monday, Sajid Javid will detail new rules to MPs in the House of Commons - before they come into force on Tuesday morning.
MPs will have a chance to vote on the law within 28 days. Omicron is causing concern because of the high number of mutations in the virus - twice as many as in the Covid variant.
Mr Javid is expected to make his statement at around 3.30pm.
Will schools close early? 17:03
Three weeks until Omicron verdict 16:52
Lockdown not ruled out 16:34
Jab decision on ages 5-11 'before Xmas' 16:22
No jumping the booster queue 16:10
Will schools close early?
Conservative chairman of the Education Committee Robert Halfon called for confirmation that schools would not be closed early.
He said: "Given that, as I understand it, that children are at very little risk from this new variant, can I just ask him to confirm that the schools will not be closed any earlier than … the Christmas holidays."
On masks, he added: "Can he explain given that masks aren't required for offices, can he explain the scientific evidence in which the decision was made to ask students to wear masks in corridors?"
Mr Javid replied: "When it comes to the risk to children from Covid in general, it is a lot less, thankfully, than it is to adults.
"With regard to the specific new variant, we just don't know enough about it yet to talk specifically about the potential impact on children.
"There are no plans that I am aware of that would require us to close schools early, I think that would be very detrimental to the education of children.
"In terms of rules around masks, (he) will know that the rules that have been set out today by the Department for Education are guidance for schools in communal areas and it's something in terms of evidence that the DfE will be able to provide him with more information on."
17:02 Daniel Smith
The Government needs to deal with the "deliberate campaign of disinformation that is going on around the country" to tackle Covid, Labour MP Chris Bryant has said.
Rhondda MP Mr Bryant added: "Some of these people are dangerous. Their views are certainly dangerous and I hope that you (Sajid Javid) will work with the Home Secretary to make sure we check on all of these campaigns around 'new Nuremberg laws' that nobody is going to be doing damage to people who are working in the health service."
Health Secretary Mr Javid said: "He raises a good point about the danger of disinformation, how it is actually costing lives, not just here in the UK but across the world.
"He will know, for example, we have talked today a lot about South Africa rightly, but there is a very low vaccine uptake in South Africa even when they are available, partly due to this disinformation campaign.
"I can assure him we are working across Government with the Home Office, with DCMS, to counter this kind of disinformation as best we can."
Mr Javid also said that Parliament would be able view details of the new Covid regulations on Monday evening from 5pm.
He told MPs: "I want to clarify that the regulations for these new measures they have been made by the minister for public heath and vaccines (Maggie Throup) and they are in the process of being registered with the national archives, and then they will be laid before Parliament. They should be available to view online at around 5pm."
Three weeks until Omicron verdict
More scientific evidence of how Covid vaccines and boosters jabs are able to resist the Omicron variant will be available in three weeks' time, Sajid Javid has said.
In a question to the Health Secretary, Conservative MP for Winchester Steve Brine said: "The Prime Minister said this lunchtime if you are boosted, we know your response to this variant is strong.
"Can I ask him (Mr Javid) what evidence base there is draw from and when we might reasonably expect data from the scientists on how, if at all, the variant hits vaccine efficacy?"
Health Secretary Mr Javid said: "In terms of when we will have more data, the reason we set a three-week review point is that is the time that we believe that we will have more information. Not just the information we have come up with ourselves, but the information through our international counterparts."
Take-up bump
The Health Secretary said "many" people came forward for a vaccine this weekend "perhaps out of concern of this new variant".
Labour MP Marsha De Cordova (Battersea) asked what additional resources will be provided for areas where vaccine take-up is "still very low".
Sajid Javid said: "It's an important point. There are still, we estimate, around five million people across the UK that have not even taken up the offer of their first dose of the vaccine, putting themselves and their loved ones at great risk.
"In terms of action, there is a lot of work that's been done over the last few months. It is bearing results. We are seeing more and more people come forward, especially in the last few weeks, and indeed we saw many come forward this weekend, perhaps out of concern of this new variant.
"There is a lot of work being done with community leaders. There's been an existing communications campaign but there is a new one about to start imminently."
Conservative Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) questioned how MPs would be given a say on the new measures given the three-week review would take place during parliamentary recess.
He told the Commons: "How will there be parliamentary scrutiny of the Government's review measures or will we be having government by diktat?"
Health Secretary Sajid Javid replied: "I think the review should take place as soon as possible and that is how the Government determined it's three weeks.
"Unless Parliament was called back from recess or the Government took longer than three weeks, there's no way, I think the approach the Government has set out is the right one."
Mr Bridgen then looked up to the press gallery and shrugged in response to Mr Javid's remarks.
Face masks called 'mumbo jumbo'
Conservative backbencher Sir Desmond Swayne suggested wearing face coverings to provide protection from the virus is "mumbo jumbo".
He told the Commons: "Over the last few months there has been a useful controlled experiment on face coverings given the different policies pursued in Scotland and England. What estimate has he made of the result? It's mumbo jumbo isn't it?"
The Health Secretary said that if Sir Desmond "is suggesting that there are mixed views on the efficacy of face coverings in helping to fight this pandemic, he would be right".
But he said there are reports which show "in certain settings how face coverings can help".
Lockdown not ruled out
Sajid Javid failed to rule out any future lockdown when urged to do so by a Tory MP, but insisted putting the "booster programme on steroids" is the main form of defence.
Richard Drax (South Dorset) told the Health Secretary: "None of us underplayed the threat of any new variant and, as (Mr Javid) said today, Covid is not going to go away. It's not, it's here for the rest of our lives.
"The country is learning to live with this disease, it is the only way forward.
"Can he please reassure me, the House and the country that he will never, ever go back to locking this country down?"
Mr Javid replied: "No-one wants to see those kinds of measures, but (Mr Drax) I'm sure will agree with me that, first let me agree with him that Covid is with us to stay and we need to learn to live with it, and the best way I think we can do that is with the primary form of defence that we've got, which is our vaccination programme, and I hope he agrees with me that we're absolutely right to basically put the booster programme on steroids because that will really help us."
Vote the wrong way around?
Conservative Sir Graham Brady, chair of the backbench 1922 Committee, said he welcomed a debate and vote on the restrictions, but said it would be better to have done so before they come into force.
Sir Graham asked what assessment the Health Secretary has made of early reports from South Africa that "the variant may actually lead to less severe illness than the previous variants".
He said: "Can I welcome the fact that we have both a debate and a vote tomorrow on these regulations. But wouldn't it be better if we had the debate and the vote before the restrictions come into force, rather than after?"
Sajid Javid said: "In terms of the debate and the vote tomorrow, I believe the Leader (Commons Leader) will be making a statement on that shortly, I think right after my statement.
"It is early days in terms of those reports. We are looking into those and talking actually with our South African friends in getting more details.
"I think it is worth pointing out that the age profile, the demographics in South Africa, is generally people are on average younger. We are taking that into account as well."
SNP wants Cobra meeting
The SNP has called on Boris Johnson to convene an emergency Cobra meeting to show that he is "on top" of his brief with the Omicron strain of Covid.
In a question to the Health Secretary, SNP MP Richard Thomson (Gordon) said: "I wonder if he (Sajid Javid) shares my disappointment that when the first ministers of Scotland and Wales today called for a Cobra meeting to be convened, it appeared to be dismissed outright.
"I wonder will the Secretary of State will prevail upon the Prime Minister to call, attend and convene an urgent Cobra meeting involving all four nations so that people will be persuaded that he is on top of this development as we would all expect him to be?"
Mr Javid replied: "In terms of meetings, and UK nations working together, I think that has been one of the successes of the UK response to this pandemic – the way that nations across the UK have worked together especially on vaccines, on testing, on surveillance and anti-virals – and it shows that we are stronger together."
Hancock approves
Conservative former health secretary Matt Hancock described the Government's action as "well judged and rapid" as he asked about a variant vaccine.
He said: "While existing vaccinations including boosters are effective against all known major variants before Omicron, can he set out plans for a variant vaccine should it be needed in the worst-case scenario?"
Mr Javid replied: "When it comes to potentially new vaccines that is a programme that the UK has been supporting, largely thanks to his efforts when he was in my position, and that work continues and if it is necessary to procure new vaccines that we believe are safe and effective, and will help with this new variant, we will do so."
'No panic measures'
Conservative former Cabinet minister Greg Clark cautioned against "panic measures".
The MP for Tunbridge Wells asked: "Will (he) avoid taking any panic measures if we see a rise in infections during the weeks ahead, as seems inevitable, and concentrate instead on the vaccines' effectiveness against severe illness and hospitalisation."
Health Secretary Sajid Javid replied: "(He) is absolutely right that what matters as we look ahead around this new variant – is what matters more than anything is hospitalisations."
Jab decision on ages 5-11 'before Xmas'
Health regulator chief June Raine said it was "very likely" that an assessment of whether to approve the Pfizer jab for children as young as five would be concluded before Christmas.
Dr Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said an assessment of giving the jab to children aged five to 11 was already quite advanced.
She told a Downing Street press conference: "An application for use of the Pfizer vaccine in children aged five to 11 will be very, very carefully assessed as you would expect – for safety, for effectiveness at the proposed dose and for quality."
That "rigorous assessment" was set to be concluded before Christmas because "we have allowed use of the vaccine for at-risk children since very early on and we have collected a certain amount of safety data in this population".
"So, in terms of timeframe: very likely before Christmas but we don't know until we have rigorously looked at all the data."
Omicron 'western countries' fault'
A former health secretary has said the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is "a symptom of the failure of western countries" to donate vaccines to poorer nations.
Conservative former minister Jeremy Hunt welcomed new restrictions to beat the Covid variant but also asked Health Secretary Sajid Javid: "Does he not agree that the fact that we are facing this danger is also a symptom of the failure of western countries to make sure that vaccines are distributed adequately around the world?
"Whilst I recognise the enormous contribution the UK has made through Covax, through the development of the AstraZeneca vaccine and so on, is it not a moral and practical failure that richer countries have managed to vaccinate 60% of their populations when for poorer countries it is just 3%?"
Mr Javid said: "I do agree with his words. It is important that all rich countries do everything they can to support the vaccines and donation of vaccines to developing countries.
"I have set out earlier what the UK has done and we can be proud of that, but we do need other countries to step up. In the G7 meeting I chaired earlier today with health ministers, we all agreed the importance of this and about redoubling efforts to make sure all commitments are made."
Over-50s need to get booster now
Prof Van-Tam said the booster campaign was "as urgent as it could possibly be" in order to prepare defences against the Omicron variant.
"The more boosting we can do by the time we have any significant amount of Omicron activity in the UK is going to be very, very important," he told a Downing Street press conference.
"How fast that will build up in the UK and to what extent it will build up in the UK is something we don't know, we are in uncharted territory.
"We have a highly-vaccinated population but not yet as fully a boosted population as we would like, there are many people still over the age of 50 who have not come forward for a booster and they are at risk from a drifted variant without that booster."
'Flip-flopping on masks'
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan also told the Commons: "If masks had been mandatory, it'd have been harder for this new variant to spread."
She said the Government's "flip-flopping on masks has created confusion" across schools, colleges and universities before adding: "The Prime Minister is not the best person to tell people to wear masks when he can't even be bothered to wear one himself when he goes into a hospital full of vulnerable patients.
"Can I ask the Secretary of State when Conservative backbenchers will start wearing their masks?"
Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke could be heard shouting: "When we have to."
Health Secretary Sajid Javid, in his reply, said: "I do think the honourable lady has misjudged the tone of the House. This is a very serious matter and I think the whole country would be looking for all members of this House to work together and to support the nation.
"Surely she isn't blaming the UK Government for the emergence of this new variant? I feel she was perhaps re-auditioning for the reshuffle that's going on in her party right now."
'Bumps in the road'
The Health Secretary said: "If it emerges that this variant is no more dangerous than the Delta variant, then we won't keep measures in place for a day longer than necessary."
Sajid Javid told the Commons: "Our experience of fighting this virus has shown us that it's best to act decisively and swiftly when we see a potential threat. Which is why we're building our defences and putting these measures in place without delay."
We are taking a well-rounded view, looking at the impact of the measures on the virus, economy, education and non-Covid health.
I'm confident that these responses that we've set out today, they are balances and responsible steps that are proportionate to the threat that we face.
We always knew there would be bumps in the road, but this is not a time to waver, it's a time to be vigilant and to think about what each and everyone one of us can do to slow the spread of this new variant.
He encouraged people to get a jab at the appropriate time, follow the rules and take regular tests.
Mr Javid added: "If we all come together once again, then we can keep this virus at bay and protect the progress that we have made."
'Eye on the weather'
Prof Van-Tam urged people not to panic but said they should be aware of the situation around the Omicron variant.
"I'm asking people not to panic but I'm not asking them either to completely ignore the weather forecast.
"We look at South Africa, it's our kind of weather forecast here – in the same way the weather forecasters have warned us about Storm Arwen in the recent few days.
"You can't ignore what you see around the world and it is more urgent than ever before, because of what's happened."
No jumping the booster queue
The NHS will deliver the booster campaign in an "orderly" way, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said, to avoid younger people jumping ahead of those who are more vulnerable to Covid-19.
"The important message that the NHS wanted me to convey to you today is that they understand the real urgency of this," England's chief medical officer said.
"They are up for the task but they say that they will contact you when you need to act and they will open the booking in an orderly way.
"One of the things we really don't want is people from the very youngest, now eligible, cohorts somehow getting in front of people who are at a much higher risk of a bad outcome if they were to get Covid-19."
SA praised
The Health Secretary said a meeting of G7 health ministers was "unanimous" in its praise of South Africa and its transparency over the new variant.
Sajid Javid told the Commons: "Earlier today, I convened an urgent meeting of G7 health ministers to co-ordinate the international response.
"We were unanimous in our praise for the leadership shown by South Africa, who were so open and transparent about this new variant.
"We were resolute in our commitment to working closely with each other, the World Health Organisation and, of course, the wider international community to tackle this common threat."
JCVI advice taken
Mr Javid said he had accepted the JCVI's advice "in full".
He added: "Fourth, that severely immuno suppressed people aged 16 or above who have received three primary doses should now also be offered a booster dose.
"Finally, that children aged between 12 and 15 should be given a second dose 12 weeks from the first dose. I have accepted this advice in full."
'Huge step up'
The Health Secretary said new measures are a "huge step up" for the vaccine programme, almost doubling the number who will be able to get a booster dose.
Sajid Javid told the Commons: "With this new variant on the offensive these measures will protect more people more quickly and make us better protected as a nation.
"It represents a huge step up for our vaccination programme. Almost doubling the number of people who will be able to get a booster dose to protect themselves and their loved ones.
"And I know that we are asking more from NHS colleagues who've already given us so much throughout this crisis, but I know that they will be up to the task.
"The NHS will be calling people forward at the appropriate time so that those who are most vulnerable will be prioritised."
He said "in the coming days" he will set out more details on how the advice is being put into action.
Javid on booster expansion
"Against this backdrop of this new variant we want to go further and faster. So, I asked the JCVI, the Government's independent expert advisers on vaccinations, to urgently review how we could expand the programme and whether we should reduce the gap between second doses and boosters.
"The JCVI published its advice in the last hour. First, it advised that the minimum dose interval for booster jabs should be halved from six months to three months. Second, that the booster programme should be expanded to include all remaining adults aged 18 and above.
"Third, that these boosters should be offered by age in group in a descending order to protect those who are most vulnerable to the virus, so priority will be given to older adults and people over 16 who are at risk."
Measures will be reviewed in three weeks' time
Health Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs: "The regulations for self-isolation and face coverings have been laid before the House today and will come into force at 4am tomorrow, but I can confirm to the House that there will be a debate and vote on these two measures to give the House the opportunity to have its say and to perform valuable scrutiny.
"The Leader of the House will be setting out more detail shortly and we'll be reviewing all of these measures that I've set out today after three weeks to see whether they are still necessary."
Boosters given in order of priority
Professor Wei Shen Lim said boosters should be provided "early enough before any possible wave" of the new variant, should there be one, to put the country in the "best possible position".
Laying out his five points of advice for vaccine response against the Omicron variant, he said: "The first, we're advising that the booster programme should now be extended to adults aged 18 to 39 years old.
"This is in addition to the existing programme for boosters, meaning that, from now, all adults aged 18 years and above will be eligible for a booster."
He said the booster programme should follow an order of priority based on age and a person's risk level. Those who are immuno-supressed should come forward for a fourth vaccine dose to act as a booster, Prof Lim added.
Pfizer and Moderna "can and should be used in preference" for the booster shot due to the high levels of antibodies they create, no matter what vaccine type the person had initially.
Finally, children aged 12 to 15 should be offered a second dose of the vaccine 12 weeks after the first jab.
Uncertain few weeks ahead
Professor Jonathan Van-Tamsaid: "We don't know what's going to happen next … the next three weeks are going to be weeks of scientific uncertainty.
"But whilst we wait for the mist to clear on what this concerning variant actually means, there is no time to delay, it's our opportunity to get ahead and vaccine boosting is the thing we can do most easily while we wait for that science mist to clear."
11 cases in UK
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said five cases of the new Omicron variant have been confirmed in England and six in Scotland, telling the Commons: "We expect cases to rise over the coming days.
"The new variant has also been spreading across the world. Confirmed cases have been reported in many countries, including Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal.
"In this race between the vaccines and the virus, the new variant may have given the virus extra legs."
Booster shots create a strong immune response
Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of Covid-19 immunisation at the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), laid out a five-point plan, announcing that all adults should receive a booster jab to protect against the Omicron coronavirus variant.
He told a press briefing at Downing Street that booster shots, such as a third shot of Pfizer, Moderna or, to a "lesser extent", AstraZeneca, "creates a very strong immune response".
Prof Lim added: "The immune response provided with the boost is measured to be higher than that attained after the second dose, so there is a step-wise increase.
"This increase in immune response will broaden the protection, hopefully, against the new variant."
More info on new cases
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified two further cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant in England, bringing the total to five.
The individuals that have tested positive are not connected to each other and are not linked to the previously confirmed cases.
One case is located in Camden, London, and the other case is located in Wandsworth, London. Both have travel links to southern Africa.
The individuals and their households have been told to self-isolate. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious.
Six cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 have also been identified in Scotland, with four cases in the Lanarkshire area and two in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
UKHSA chief executive Dr Jenny Harries said: "It is very likely that we will find more cases over the coming days as we are seeing in other countries globally and as we increase case detection through focused contact tracing. That's why it's critical that anyone with Covid-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately."
Vaccine safe for ages 12 to 15
Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said a "through review" and monitoring had found it was safe for those aged 12 to 15 to have a second vaccine dose.
She said a study of the side effects of the vaccine in those aged under 18 had shown there are "no new safety issues".
Speaking at a press briefing in Downing Street, Dr Raine said: "Our message to people aged 12-15 is that it is safe to have a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine and if you're called to receive your second dose, please go and take that offer.
"It will ensure that you're further protected from Covid-19."
Two further cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant have been identified in England, with both having links to travel in southern Africa, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.