Booster Vaccinations
In response to concerns over the Omicron variant, booster campaigns are being brought forward across the UK, with the government hoping to offer every adult in England the chance to book a Covid booster before the end of 2021. From 15th December, In England, a booster is available to every adult aged 18 or over – as long as they had their second dose at least three months ago.
Covid Passports
Following parliamentary approval, from Wednesday 15th December, the NHS Covid Pass on the NHS App, or proof of a negative test taken in the past 48 hours in the form of a text message or email from NHS Test and Trace, will become mandatory for people aged 18 or over in England to gain entry to nightclubs and settings where large crowds gather – including unseated indoor events with 500 or more attendees, unseated outdoor events with 4,000 or more attendees and any event with 10,000 or more attendees. Similar schemes are already in place in the rest of the UK
Daily Rapid Testing for Covid-19 Contact
From Tuesday 14 December, people who are fully vaccinated and identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 – whether Omicron or not – should take an NHS rapid lateral flow test every day for 7 days to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Anyone whose rapid test comes back positive or who develops COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate and take a confirmatory PCR test to verify the result. If the PCR result comes back positive, contacts must self-isolate for 10 days from the day they took the positive rapid test or developed symptoms. They do not need to continue taking rapid tests during that 10 day isolation period. If the PCR result comes back negative, contacts can leave self-isolation but should continue to take rapid tests for the remainder of the 7 days.
Unvaccinated adults are not eligible for this new daily testing policy – they must self-isolate for 10 days if they are a contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19, whether Omicron or not, unless eligible for an existing workplace daily contact testing.
International Travel
As from Wednesday 15th December, all 11 countries will be removed from the red list thereby obviating the need for arrivals to pay for and self-isolate in a pre-booked, government approved hotel for 10 days. Testing measures – a pre-arrival negative test and then another PCR test after arrival – will be required for all travellers coming to the UK.
