The Prime Minister was joined by Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance on Saturday evening to address two cases of the Omicron variant discovered in the UK.
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Boris Johnson has said anyone arriving in the UK will be asked to take a PCR test for Covid-19 on the second day and they must self-isolate until they provide a negative result.
The Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference on Saturday: “We’re not going to stop people travelling, I want to stress that, we’re not going to stop people travelling, but we will require anyone who enters the UK to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and to self-isolate until they have a negative result.
“Second, we need to slow down the spread of this variant here in the UK, because measures at the border can only ever minimise and delay the arrival of a new variant rather than stop it all together.
“We will require all contacts of those who test positive with a suspected case of Omicron to self-isolate for 10 days regardless of your vaccination status.
“We will also go further in asking all of you to help contain the spread of this variant by tightening up the rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport.”
It comes as two linked cases have been found in Nottingham and Brentwood, Essex. The two cases are believed to have been contracted in southern Africa, the Sajid Javid said.
The new Omicron coronavirus variant has shown the “pandemic is far from over”, the Health Secretary added after two cases were discovered in the UK.
Scientists have said they are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant as it has around 30 different mutations – which is double the number present in the Delta variant.
UK scientists first became aware of the new strain on November 23 after samples were uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana. A total of 59 samples have been uploaded to the website so far.
Three samples are from Hong Kong, three are from Botswana and the rest are from South Africa.
On Friday, it was confirmed that cases had been identified in Israel and Belgium and on Saturday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said two cases had been found in the UK.
There are two known cases of Omicron in the UK that have been traced back to southern Africa. Updated information from Essex County Council said the cases, which are linked, are in Brentwood and Nottingham and those who tested positive are self-isolating and contact tracing is being carried out.
Mr Javid said targeted testing and sequencing of positive cases in the affected areas will take place.
He said anyone who has travelled to the 10 countries placed on the red travel list – Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia – in the last 10 days must isolate and take a PCR test.
He said: “This is a real reminder to us all that this pandemic is far from over. And if there’s one thing that everyone can be doing right now is, if they’re eligible, please take your vaccine when it’s your first shot, your second shot, or your booster jab. If you’re eligible, please take a vaccine.”
He described the new variant as “deeply concerning”, and said: “I think the importance of them, especially the booster vaccine, is now even more important.”
Flights from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe were suspended from midday on Friday and all six countries have been added to the red list.
Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia have also been placed on the red list.
Passengers – including UK and Irish residents – arriving from 4am on Sunday will be required to book and pay for a Government-approved hotel and quarantine for 10 days. They must also take tests on day two and day eight.
Direct flights from the 10 nations to the UK are being temporarily banned until 4am on Sunday, for the quarantine hotels to be set up.
Since midday on Friday, non-UK and Irish residents who have visited the nations in the previous 10 days have been refused entry into England.
Other countries including Germany, Italy, France, Israel, Japan and Singapore have also restricted travel over the variant.
