Omicron: Everything You Need To Know About Boris Johnson’s Newly Imposed Restrictions

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a number of new restrictions to curb the spread of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.

This comes amid concerns over Omicron, which the PM stated is ‘growing much faster than the previous Delta variant’, with cases ‘doubling every two to three days’.

Firstly, from Friday, December 11 onwards, face coverings will be required in ‘most public indoor venues’, which will include theatres and cinemas. However, exemptions will be permitted in cases where masks are not considered practical, for example, while ‘eating, drinking, exercising or singing’.

The second notable changes will be implemented from Monday, December 13 onwards, with the reintroduction of working from home guidance.

Johnson advised that employers should ‘use the rest of this week to discuss working arrangements with their employees’, stating:

Go to work if you must but work from home if you can. And I know this will be hard for many people, but by reducing your contacts in the workplace you will help slow transmission.

The third set of changes will come into force from Wednesday, December 15, and will see the NHS COVID Pass made mandatory for those frequenting nightclubs, as well as other such venues where large crowds might gather.

This new rule will apply to unseated indoor venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people and any such venue with more than 10,000 people.

The PM reassured the public that Christmas parties and nativity plays may still proceed, as long as guidance is adhered to, remarking, ‘The best way to ensure we all have a Christmas as close to normal as possible is to get on with Plan B.’