No further Covid restrictions will be put in place before Christmas, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a video tweet.
He said there is currently not enough evidence on the severity of Omicron, the hospitalisation rate and the impact of the booster rollout to justify tougher measures before Christmas.
He said the situation is finely balanced and remains difficult across the country, with the Omicron variant continuing to surge and cases at an all-time high.
The government will continue to monitor the data closely and will not hesitate to act after Christmas if necessary, he says.
He urges people to exercise caution and to continue to follow the guidance, including by wearing a mask indoors when required, keeping fresh air circulating and taking a test when visiting vulnerable and elderly relatives.
I wanted to confirm that people can go ahead with their Christmas plans.
But we’re keeping a constant eye on the data and can’t rule out any further measures after Christmas.
Please continue to be cautious, follow the guidance and Get Boosted Now: https://t.co/VKGvuQ4lzq pic.twitter.com/506RPwP94h
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 21, 2021
