Omicron to be dominant variant in London in next 48 hours

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading swiftly and will become the dominant variant in the British capital in the next 48 hours, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Monday.

“No variant of Covid-19 has spread this fast,” Javid told parliament.

“While Omicron represents over 20 per cent of cases in England, we’ve already seen it rise to over 44 per cent in London and we expect it to become the dominant Covid-19 variant in the capital in the next 48 hours.”

He said Britain intends to extend its Covid-19 pass to include a booster jab once all adults have had “a reasonable chance” to get their third vaccination.

From Wednesday, subject to parliament’s approval on Tuesday, Britons will need to show a negative lateral flow test to enter nightclubs and large events, with an exemption for those who are double vaccinated.

• Covid-19: Britain says Omicron accounts for 40% of London infections