Covid LIVE: New Year's Eve parties at risk – Boris poised for Omicron crackdown in '48hrs' BORIS JOHNSON has not ruled out the possibility of new controls which could hamper New Year's Eve plans, including cracking down on pubs and nightclubs. By Rachel Hagan

       09:34, Wed, Dec 22, 2021 | UPDATED: 09:35, Wed, Dec 22, 2021

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       GB News host slams Sadiq Khan for calling off New Year's fireworks

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       The Prime Minister is poised to announce a crackdown in as little as 48 hours. While a Christmas crackdown has not happened, a fortnight-long circuit-breaker lockdown could be imposed within days. This comes as Nicola Sturgeon cancelled large-scale New Year celebrations in Scotland and reintroduced limits on household mixing. Also as London's New Year's Eve celebration event in Trafalgar Square was axed. Boris Johnson has reiterated that Christmas may not be cancelled but they will “do whatever it takes to protect public health.”

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       Will “do whatever it takes to protect public health.” (Image: GETTY)

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       15 mins ago09:34 Rachel Hagan

       Should schools close after Christmas to halt Omicron spread?

       Boris Johnson has announced no new Covid restrictions will be brought in for England before Christmas. Do you think children should be kept out of schools in January? Vote in our poll below.

       Read more here

       31 mins ago09:18 Rachel Hagan

       Omicron variant spreads 'very, very quickly'

       Dr Margaret Harris, from the World Health Organisation, was asked by Times Radio whether the UK Government's lack of guidance on the size of Christmas gatherings is a problem.

       She said: "each country does do things differently. Certainly, knowing that you're not infected, knowing that you don't have the virus with you is very helpful. It is easier to manage if your group is much smaller. It's also easier to understand if the worst happens and somebody does transmit the virus to somebody else - everybody knows who was there and where they've gone, so it's also easier then to track it through and help everybody involved."

       She added that the Omicron variant spreads "very, very quickly - it's got a great advantage even over Delta, so essentially we need to do the things that stop it from having that opportunity, and if we have a large bunch of us together that's giving it the perfect opportunity."

       40 mins ago09:09 Rachel Hagan

       Omicron will surge despite Biden’s new plan

       On Tuesday, President Joe Biden outlined new plans for battling Omicron variant but public health officials warned that the measures would not be sufficient to prevent a rise in infections and hospitalisations over the next few weeks.

       Biden’s strategy includes more vaccine campaigns and propping up hospitals as they battle an influx of patients. Mr Biden explicitly ruled out lockdowns which scientific officials have expressed frustration and alarm about.

       50 mins ago08:59 Rachel Hagan

       'Uncertainty' around people making New Year's Eve plans.

       Minister of State for Care and Mental Health Gillian Keegan said there is "uncertainty" around people making New Year's Eve plans.

       Speaking on LBC Radio she said: "So, if you can't change your plans quickly, then maybe think about it. We can't predict what the data is going to tell us before we've got the data."

       "We are trying to take a balanced and proportionate approach so that people can see their families over Christmas to try and plan some stuff."

       "But of course it is difficult to anticipate."

       She said the uncertainty in the data is "particularly" around severity.

       1 hour ago08:32 Rachel Hagan

       Official data showed the number of new Covid cases and hospitalisations appeared to have plateaued

       The first signs of a slowdown have begun, after weeks of growth. Some experts speculate that England may even have peaked. The early evidence gathered by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is set to show those who catch Omicron are less likely to be hospitalised or die, the data was leaked by Politico.

       2 hours ago07:35 Rachel Hagan

       UK isolation period cut to a week

       Health Secretary Sajid Javid has reduced the COVID-19 self-isolation period to seven days from 10 days for people in England who get a negative result on a lateral flow test two days in a row.

       The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said its analysis suggested a seven-day isolation period alongside two negative lateral flow test results had nearly the same protective effect as a 10-day isolation period without testing.

       "We want to reduce the disruption from COVID-19 to people’s everyday lives," health secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement.

       2 hours ago07:33 Rachel Hagan

       Good morning

       Good morning from London. I’m Rachel Hagan, I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments on COVID-19. Please feel free to get in touch with me as I work if you have a story or tips to share! Your thoughts are always welcome.

       Email: rachel.hagan@reachplc.com

       Twitter: @rachelhagan_