(Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned the public to expect new controls to curb the spread of the Omicron variant amid fears the NHS could be overwhelmed.
Following a special two-hour meeting the Cabinet, the prime minister said they were monitoring the data "hour by hour".
However, he said the arguments for taking action were "very, very finely balanced" – indicating fresh measures were unlikely before Christmas.
It comes after the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) warned daily hospital admissions could reach 3,000 without further restrictions.
"Unfortunately I must say to people that we will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public, to protect public health, to protect our NHS," Johnson said.
"We are looking at all kinds of things to keep Omicron under control and we will rule nothing out.
"But at the moment, what I think we want people to focus on is exercising caution – so ventilation, masks in the appropriate places, all the usual stuff about washing hands, but remember how contagious Omicron really is."
Last week Johnson suffered the biggest backbench rebellion of his premiership with 100 Tory MPs voting against rules requiring Covid passports for entry into nightclubs and other venues.
Any additional proposals could spark another revolt at a time when the prime minister is politically weakened by the ongoing row over parties in Downing Street last Christmas and the Tories' crushing defeat in the North Shropshire by-election.
By Gavin Cordon, PA Whitehall Editor
source: PA
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