Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the British government will launch ‘Plan B’ to try to control the progress of the Omicron variant, recommending remote work and the use of health permits at clubs and large events.
The prime minister said at a press conference that he is “relative and responsible for the transition to Plan B” given the progress of the new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, whose data shows that the number of cases doubles every two to three days.
These measures apply to England, while the rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which have been tightened, fall to the respective independent governments. The UK recorded 161 deaths and 51,342 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, of which 131 were using the omicron variable.
In all, the total number of cases identified with the novel coronavirus variant is 568, up from 32 a week ago, with Johnson this week stressing there is “evidence that it is more transmissible” than the delta variant.
“We know that the relentless logic of exponential growth can lead to a massive increase in hospitalizations and, unfortunately, deaths,” Johnson admitted.
The injury of eight players and five members of the technical team of football club Tottenham, which plays on Thursday against Rennes in the European League, symbolizes the deteriorating situation in the United Kingdom.
But Conservative MP William Wragg warned today in Parliament that the decision to impose new restrictions could be seen as a “fun tactic” to fight the controversy over an alleged Downing Street Christmas party that violated confinement rules.
The story dominates the agenda for a week, despite references to last year’s party, and today it has been complicated again by the publication of a video where the prime minister’s advisers joke about an alleged party.
He described the announcement of the new restrictions on social media as a “dead cat”. [gato morto]This is the name given to the strategy of advertising something important to try to cover up an uncomfortable and controversial topic.
Boris Johnson defended: “British residents can see the importance of the medical information we provide.”
Warage also said that “health permits will not increase the acceptance of the vaccine, but it will create a separate community,” which indicates that many in the ruling party oppose the measure.
Emily Brontë is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, literature, and current affairs. She is dedicated to producing clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about developments in the UK and around the world.
