Five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Wednesday morning.
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Wednesday morning. We’ll have another update for you this evening.
With a pledge to offer every eligible adult in England a Covid booster jab by the end of January, NHS England will be issuing guidance about how this will be achieved to hospitals, pharmacists and GPs. The plan will see 400 military personnel on hand to help with the rollout. The major expansion in response to the new Omicron variant means hospital hubs will offer jabs to the public as well as NHS staff, and more pharmacies will administer doses.
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Ministers have agreed to offer Covid booster jabs to all eligible over-18s in England by the end of January amid growing fears about the new Omicron variant but can it be done? There is plentiful supply of the vaccines, says our health correspondent Nick Triggle, but the challenge lies in increasing the amount of jabs the NHS can administer. Read his analysis in full here.
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In leaked minutes of a meeting, government advisers say a “very stringent response” to the Omicron variant may be needed. According to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, the variant’s impact on the UK is “highly uncertain” and, while data is collected and analysed, officials should be prepared for a “potentially significant” wave of infections. Further action will be taken if necessary, the government says.
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The end of furlough, a drop in universal credit payments, and the cost of living going up means the number of young homeless people in England this Christmas could reach a five-year high. Homelessness charity Centrepoint predicts over 29,000 18-34-year-olds face being homeless this year, the highest level since 2016. Read more here.
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It’s 1 December so it’s not that long until Christmas and for many that means the annual office festive party or drinks sometime in the coming weeks. With already-high Covid case numbers in the UK and the emergence of the Omicron variant, how safe will in-person parties be? Health editor Michelle Roberts has investigated.
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Take a look at when you’re likely to be contacted about your booster jab.
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.
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