UK PM Boris warns of "Tidal Wave" of Omicron, Over-18's can get Booster Jabs

The increase in the new variant Omicron cases has led the count to 3,137

London: Amid the rise of Omicron, the United Kingdom  Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday warned of a looming "tidal wave" of Omicron, and brought forward a target to give over-18s a booster dose by one month to the end of December.

Though a TV address, Prime Minister Boris conveyed, "No one should be in any doubt: there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming." He aware the citizens after the country's medical advisers raised the Covid Alert Level due to a "rapid increase" in infection from the variant.

PM Johnson has imposed restrictions ahead of Christmas due to the spread of the mutation "an emergency", as Omicron was doubling every two to three days.

He said, "We know from bitter experience how these exponential curves develop."

In a report on Sunday, an increase in the five-stage Covid Alert Level from three to four comes after a further 1,239 confirmed cases of the variant were recorded. The increase in the new variant Omicron cases has led the count to 3,137. Almost, 65 per cent increase from Saturday's total of 1,898.

UK began easing COVID-19 restrictions in June and the alert level was at stage three, which means the epidemic is in general circulation. Level four means "transmission is high and pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising".

The four chief medical officers for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland said the move was prompted by advice from the UK Health Security Agency, a public health body.

"Transmission of COVID-19 is already high in the community, mainly still driven by Delta, but the emergence of Omicron adds additional and rapidly increasing risk to the public and healthcare services," they said. "Early evidence shows that Omicron is spreading much faster than Delta and that vaccine protection against symptomatic disease from Omicron is reduced."

"Data on the severity will become clearer over the coming weeks but hospitalisations from Omicron are already occurring. These are likely to increase rapidly."

The officers said boosters were vital given that vaccine protection was reduced with Omicron, and both third jabs used -- Pfizer and Moderna increased immune response and showed "good effectiveness".