British Covid surge seen as warning on Omicron but responses vary

Spiralling infections in Britain driven in part by the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus rattled many in Europe on Thursday, fuelling a familiar dread that tighter restrictions will scuttle holiday plans again this year.

Much remains unknown about Omicron, but increasingly officials are warning that at the very least it appears more transmissible than the Delta variant, which was already putting pressure on hospitals from the United States to the Netherlands. With so many questions outstanding, uncertainty reigned over how quickly and how severely to crack down on Christmas travel and end-of-year parties.

After the UK recorded the highest number of confirmed new Covid-19 infections since the pandemic began, France announced on Thursday that it would tighten entry rules for those coming from Britain.

In England, the chief medical officer urged people to limit who they see in the festive period — and pubs and restaurants said many were heeding that advice by cancelling Christmas parties, though there has been much debate about what’s OK to do right now. In the US, meanwhile, the White House insisted there was no need for a lockdown, despite signs that Omicron was gaining ground there.

Globally, more than 75 countries have reported confirmed cases of the new variant. In Britain, where Omicron cases are doubling every two to three days, the variant is expected to soon replace Delta as the dominant strain in the country — and the government has accelerated its booster programme in response. Authorities in the 27-nation European Union say omicron will be the dominant variant in the bloc by mid-January.

ALSO READ:

• Covid-19: France to restrict travel from Britain to fight Omicron

• Covid-19: Queen Elizabeth axes pre-Christmas party as UK cases spiral

• Omicron: The most mispronounced word of the year

In addition to hints that it’s more contagious, early data suggest Omicron may be milder but better at evading vaccines — making booster shots more crucial. Experts have urged caution in particular on drawing conclusions about how mild it is because hospitalisations lag behind infections and so many variables contribute to how sick people get.

Also, even if Omicron proves milder on the whole than Delta, it may disarm some of the lifesaving tools available and put immune-compromised and elderly people at particular risk. And if it’s more transmissible, more infections overall raise the risk that more cases will be serious.

While experts gather the data, some governments rushed to act, while others sought to calm fears that the new variant would land countries back on square one.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted on Thursday that the situation in the UK is different from last year because of the widespread use of vaccines and the ability to test.

He said that if people want to attend an event “the sensible thing to do is to get a test and to make sure that you’re being cautious”.

“But we’re not saying that we want to cancel stuff, we’re not locking stuff down, and the fastest route back to normality is to get boosted,” he said.

Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, however, struck a more cautious note, advising people earlier in the week to limit their social contacts and put the priority on those that are the most important.

On Thursday, he told a parliamentary committee hearing that the government could have to review measures if vaccines prove less effective than expected against Omicron.

“It’s a complete nightmare... This week should be the busiest week of the year for hospitality,” said Sally Abe, a chef at the Conrad Hotel in central London. “It’s everywhere, everybody’s cancelling, but there’s no support from the government.”