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Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Boris Johnson: UK 'will throw everything' at booster jabs campaign
Boris Johnson- UK PM

The BBC reported Boris Johnson has said, there is no doubt the NHS can rise to the challenge of ramping up booster jabs.


The PM said the UK "will throw everything" at the expanded rollout in the wake of the Omicron virus variant.


He said: "What we need to do is delay the seeding of Omicron in this country... but we don't see any need to change the overall guidance for how people should be living their lives."


New face mask rules began in England earlier for shops and public transport.


The BBC said a total of 14 cases of the new coronavirus variant - which may be more infectious - have so far been confirmed in the UK.




COVID-19-Face mask-The time of COVID/Pixabay COVID-19-Face mask-The time of COVID/Pixabay

Speaking outside a vaccine centre in north London, Mr Johnson said boosters "can give you a lot of protection against all types of the virus and, we think that is overwhelmingly likely at any rate, so the crucial thing is for everybody now to come out and get your boosters".


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He added: "We've no doubt at all that the NHS, all the volunteers, the Army, everybody can rise to the challenge. Is it going to be hard work? Yes it is, but I know people can do it."


Mr Johnson will set out the details of England's expanded booster programme at a news conference at 16:00 GMT. He will be joined by Health Secretary Sajid Javid and NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard.


Booster jabs are to be offered to all over-18s in the UK, with children aged 12 to 15 invited for a second jab, as part of a major expansion of the vaccine programme.


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Mr Johnson advised people to continue to be sensible - making sure "they have lots of fresh air, they wash their hands and take normal precautions".


After the head of the UK Health Security Agency, Dr Jenny Harries, suggested people should reduce social contacts in the coming weeks before Christmas, Mr Johnson said no change to overall guidance was planned.


"We don't think that's necessary. We don't see anything to suggest that we need to go, for instance, to Plan B," he said, referring to tougher curbs in England.


"But what we do need to do is take particular precautions against Omicron until we've worked out exactly what kind of a threat it may present."


Source: BBC