UK records first death from Omicron, as PM contemplates further restrictions

The United Kingdom has recorded its first death from the new Omicron variant of the Coronavirus, according to a situation report by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday.

In an address, Johnson refused to rule out imposing further restrictions across England in the run-up to Christmas following a warning from Britain’s top health officials.

He said the government has been advised that “stringent national measures” needed to be imposed and he would “take whatever steps are necessary to protect public health”.

There are serious concerns among scientists and in Whitehall that the Omicron variant could soon become the dominant Covid strain, weakening the defences two vaccines offer against the virus.

READ ALSO: Another three cases of Omicron variant confirmed in Nigeria

“We now want to hit warp speed and we’ll have to attain a pace and a number of daily booster doses that will exceed anything that we’ve done before,” the PM said.

“Sadly, at least one patient has been confirmed to have died with Omicron.

“I think the idea that this is somehow a milder version of the virus, I think that’s something we need to set on one side and just recognise the sheer pace at which it accelerates through the population. So the best thing we can do is all get our boosters.”

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