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* First patient dies with Omicron in UK - Johnson
* New COVID variant doubling every 2-3 days, minister says
* Get a booster as two vaccines not enough, Britain says
* Johnson's poll ratings sink - Ipsos MORI survey
(Adds context on global deaths from Omicron)
By Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden
LONDON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - At least one person has died in
the United Kingdom after contracting the Omicron coronavirus
variant, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday, the first
publicly confirmed death globally from the swiftly spreading
strain.
Since the first Omicron cases were detected on Nov. 27 in
the United Kingdom, Johnson has imposed tougher restrictions and
on Sunday cautioned that the variant could overcome the immune
defences of those inoculated with two shots of vaccines.
Britain gave no details on the death or whether the patient
had been been vaccinated or had underlying health issues. Deaths
from Omicron may have occurred in other countries but none has
been publicly confirmed yet outside Britain.
"Sadly at least one patient has now been confirmed to have
died with Omicron," Johnson told reporters at a vaccination
centre in London.
The variant now accounted for around 40% of infections in
the capital, he said.
"So 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."
Before the death was announced, Britain said 10 people had
been hospitalised with the Omicron variant in various parts of
England. Their ages ranged from 18 to 85 years and most had
received two vaccination doses.
The UK Health Security Agency said Omicron - first detected
in South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong in late November - can
overcome the immunity of those who have had two shots of
vaccines such as AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech
.
South Africa's health ministry said it was unable to say
with certainty if any of its COVID-19 deaths were caused by
Omicron as deaths were not broken down by variant.
NEW LOCKDOWNS?
Johnson, who is grappling with a rebellion in his party over
measures to curb Omicron and an outcry over parties at his
Downing Street office during last year's lockdowns, said people
should rush to get booster vaccines to protect "our freedoms and
our way of life".
After COVID-19 was first detected in China in late 2019, he
faced criticism for initially resisting lockdown.
He has also been criticised for overseeing mistakes in
transferring patients into care homes, and for building a costly
test-and-trace system that failed to stop a deadly second wave.
Johnson has repeatedly said that while mistakes were made,
the government was making decisions swiftly in the biggest
public health crisis for generations and that his government was
quick to roll out vaccines.
More than 146,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the
United Kingdom.
Asked if he could rule out tougher restrictions in England
before Christmas, Johnson avoided giving a direct answer.
VACCINE QUEUES
Johnson faces growing anger from libertarians in his party
over stiffer restrictions and sinking poll ratings.
He has also faced criticism over his handling of a sleaze
scandal, the awarding of lucrative COVID contracts, the
refurbishment of his Downing Street flat, and a claim he
intervened to ensure pets were evacuated from Kabul during the
chaotic Western withdrawal in August.
An Ipsos MORI survey for The London Evening Standard
newspaper showed opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer's ranking
was 13 percentage points ahead of Johnson, the first time a
Labour leader had been viewed as a more capable prime minister
since 2008.
It also echoed other polls by showing Labour up three points
on 39% ahead of Johnson's Conservatives, who were down one point
since the last survey in November on 35%.
At St. Thomas' Hospital Vaccination Centre in central
London, a queue of hundreds of people snaked back onto
Westminster Bridge. Reuters journalists also documented queues
across London and in Manchester, northern England.
"The COVID vaccine booking service is currently facing
extremely high demand so is operating a queuing system," the
National Health Service said on Twitter. It suggested trying
again later.
Home testing kits were also unavailable to order.
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden and Hannah
McKay; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
