The Government rejected Sage advice to reintroduce pre-departure tests for people returning from red list countries because "the economy would be on its knees", a minister has admitted this morning.
Yesterday leaked minutes from a meeting of Government's scientific advisers showed they had recommended introducing this "valuable" measure in light of the omicron variant, warning that the current policy of a single PCR test within two days of arrival will "identify significantly fewer cases" than an additional test on either day five or day eight.
But asked about this morning George Freeman, the science minister, told Times Radio: "In the end ministers have to make tough decisions about balance of health and economically here in the UK.
"We are guided by science but health, economics - it’s a trade off. The economy would be on its knees, and that is not in anybody’s interest.
"We are making sure we are not supporting the spread of the virus internationally but do need people to be able to come here and do deals."
Throughout the pandemic, ministers have stressed that the two are not in competition with the NHS reliant on a strong economy and businesses dependent on confidence and public health.
His admission is likely to be seized on by Labour, who have repeatedly called for the restriction to be imposed in light of omicron.
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A former shadow minister has repeatedly refused to condemn China for abuses, including inaction on climate change and the human rights abuses against Tibetans and the Uighur people in Xinjiang.
Richard Burgon, who was shadow justice secretary under Jeremy Corbyn, clashed with Tory MP Tim Loughton during an LBC radio show last night.
Mr Loughton repeatedly called on the Labour MP to condemn Beijing's actions, but Mr Burgon warned this would "fuel anti-Chinese racism in our society", and claimed there were "things the government of the United States has done" that were "profoundly" wrong.
Watch the debate below.
A member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has said people may need to get Covid booster shots every year - but it is "really unclear" currently.
Professor Adam Finn told BBC Breakfast: "It's hard to say whether we'll all need boosters indefinitely - it really does depend on how much further this virus can evolve.
"Just as with flu, the flu virus changes every year and we have to reformulate the vaccine and reimmunise people who are at risk.
"So, that could happen with coronavirus but whether it will require everybody to get boosters every year, well I think that's really unclear at this point in time."
Working from home is an "effective measure" for reducing the transmission of Covid, which could still be used in England, Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter has said.
The statistics expert told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "known to be an effective measure of halving daily close contacts" and said this "might very well be wheeled out".
It was difficult to say what "the precise effect of wearing a mask is", Prof Spiegelhalter added.
"They can be effective at reducing the risk, doesn't eliminate it and it's not the only thing that is necessary. But, in the end, it is how much people breathe over each other that makes a difference.
"We know that being in unventilated rooms fairly close together ups the risk a lot. And that's why working from home, and being careful with meetings and singing and things like that, are very important... just getting that distance between people and not cramming people in a room together."
There is "urgent" work going on in Government to understand the possible impact of the omicron variant, as a minister admitted there is "concern" about the effect it might be having in South Africa.
George Freeman, the science minister, told LBC radio: "The chief scientist Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty and the team are literally monitoring the data on that - a ton of work is being done right now."
Asked whether they were close to an answer, Mr Freeman replied: "No, I'm not going to make that commitment now. It is live, it is in stream, you can imagine how urgent that work is.
"We are looking at the data internationally and we're looking at the transmission data here in the UK, and we want to then understand how much this variant might change people's susceptibility to the disease."
A minister has joked that he hasn't "been kissed under the mistletoe for years", after colleague Therese Coffey warned against "snogging" with strangers this year.
George Freeman, the science minister, told LBC radio: "We're trying not to tell everyone who they should kiss or where they should go. I think Therese Coffey was making the point that we're all going to have to exercise some common sense and I think the British public know that, in the end, it is up to all of us.
Mr Freeman confirmed that he has cancelled his usual Christmas party having "decided this year that it is probably sensible to do it by Zoom and wait for the spring".
He added: "It won't be the best party in the world."
See 8:05am for more
A minister has insisted that "all the guidance was observed" last year when a Christmas party is reported to have taken place at Downing Street - but said he does not know if the party took place.
Although Boris Johnson did not deny the festive gatherings, which took place while the country was under lockdown, George Freeman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he had "no idea" if a party had taken place.
"I have no idea, I wasn't there - but I was told that all the guidance was observed," he said. "I am not going to get drawn into who was and wasn't in a room in Downing Street last year. I wasn't there.
"I wasn't there, I can't tell you what happened at an event I wasn't at and wasn't party to but I have checked and I was told by those who were that all the rules were followed."
A minister has stressed "this year we won't have anything like the level of constraints we had last year", as he noted that Christmas gatherings of "four or five" would be acceptable.
George Freeman, the science minister, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the Government had "set out guidance for this next phase on basis of science and getting the right balance between controlling the viral spread and the freedoms this country enjoys".
He added: "Each business, each community, each family will need to make their own decision... individual businesses have to make judgments about what is appropriate."
That would depend on "the nature of the business", he added, noting that a party for those with "four or five" staff would not be a "big step up in risk", while those with hundreds might decide it is not "sensible".
A minister has hit out at Emmanuel Macron's description of Boris Johnson as a clown, saying: "We are clearly into pantomime season".
Noting there is a French election coming up, George Freeman, the science minister told Sky News: "Of course he isn’t a clown, he is Prime Minister of this country and elected to lead this country with a very big mandate."
The French President's choice of word was "pretty unhelpful" when both countries were "looking to work very closely with France on the border issue, on tackling the problem of European migration at source", he added.
"We need to make sure that people in France aren't being supplied with boats and being pushed out into the Channel," said Mr Freeman.
"The Home Secretary is working closely with French counterparts on it and the Prime Minister and the UK Government are looking for a sensible conversation with France about it.
"So, I'm confident, actually, that Anglo-French relations are rather better than that quote suggests."
A minister has said the Government is "concerned" by the rapid rise in Covid cases in South Africa, where the omicron variant was first detected.
Dr Michelle Groome of South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said there had been an “exponential increase” in infections over the past two weeks, from a weekly average of around 300 new cases per day to 1,000 last week, and most recently 3,500. On Wednesday, South Africa recorded 8,561 cases. A week earlier, the daily tally was 1,275.
Asked about this, George Freeman, the science minister, told Sky News: "As the Prime Minister, Health Secretary and Transport Secretary have set out, we are concerned.
"We are taking reasonable measures to make sure people coming from red list countries have to test," he added. "In those countries where the new variant is surging, we need to be quite tough and make sure people don't bring it in.
"We did it before, we have learned a huge amount over the last year and we will do it again."
A minister has insisted there is no delay in people being able to book appointment for their booster jab, despite people in their 20s and 30s being unable to do so several days after the accelerated plan was announced.
George Freeman, the science minister, told Sky News: "The NHS have a plan, that is being rolled out, and people can apply now."
Despite being repeatedly told that people were unable to book, he insisted they could.
"If you contact your GP, there are slight differences around the country, but we are the first country to get to this point," he said. "If people contact their GP, and go on the app they can book. The NHS are leading on that, we are accelerating that roll-out.
"The NHS has got to put that alongside clearing the backlog of cancer cases and all the other issues that the pandemic has caused - I think the public understand that," he eventually conceded. "Of course we need to move fast - and we are."
A minister has said his department won't be holding a Christmas party this year - the third to suggest people should modify their behaviour in light of the omicron variant.
George Freeman, the science minister, told Times Radio: "We won't be having a big Christmas party this year, no one would expect us to. My department will probably get together on Zoom and toast each other.
"But it is up to each business - most businesses are very aware that it is in nobody’s interest that we spread the virus."
Last night Therese Coffey suggested there should not be “much snogging under the mistletoe”, while Sajid Javid said he would take a lateral flow test (LFT) before attending a Christmas party this year, and suggested others should do likewise.
Nine more cases of the omicron variant were identified in England on Wednesday, taking the total number of confirmed UK cases to 32.
Health officials are warning that more cases are “very likely”. Health chiefs are scrambling to accelerate the current vaccination programme so all eligible adults can be offered a third jab by the end of January, in an attempt to protect people from the new variant.
Britain has bought enough vaccines for two more boosters per person, under a deal to provide 114 million more jabs that can be modified against new variants.
Ministers said the deal with Moderna and Pfizer, covering two more years, would “futureproof” the country beyond this winter’s rollout.
Britain has bought enough vaccines for two more boosters per person, under a deal to provide 114 million more jabs that can be modified against new variants.
Ministers said the deal with Moderna and Pfizer, covering two more years, would “futureproof” the country beyond this winter’s rollout.
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