Boris Johnson to address nation with Downing Street press conference at 3pm
BORIS Johnson will deliver a major Covid announcement during an afternoon press conference at Downing St today.
The PM will update the nation on the move to extend the booster jabs rollout to all over 40s in a bid to save Christmas.
And he’s also set to hail the move to open up second jabs to teenagers aged between the ages of 16 and 17.
Independent scientific advisers on the JCVI announced both landmark decisions earlier this morning.
During his press conference the PM is also expected to speak about yesterday’s terror incident in Liverpool.
Boris will appear in No 10 flanked by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
The appearance will come after he insisted there is still no need to bring back restrictions this winter.
Boris said there’s nothing in the data to warrant trigger Plan B which would introduce masks, working from home, and vaccine passports.
He said the UK is faring well despite the “storm of infection” gripping mainland Europe thanks to our booster jabs rollout.
But during a visit to a medical centre in east London he warned “a blizzard could come from the east again” and Brits mustn’t drop their guard.
Europe ‘storm’ fears
The PM said: “We don’t see anything in the data at the moment to suggest that we need to go to Plan B, we’re sticking with Plan A.
“But what we certainly have got to recognise is there is a storm of infection out there in parts of Europe.
“You can see those numbers ticking up very sharply in some of our continental friends.
“And we’ve just got to recognise that there is always a risk that a blizzard could come from the east again, as the months get colder.
“The best protection for our country is for everybody to go forward and get that booster.”
His remarks come after Tory chairman Oliver Dowden said travel restrictions may have to be reimposed on flights from mainland Europe.
He said ministers “haven’t ruled out” reintroducing measures like quarantine and PCR tests if a new variant emerges.
His remarks came amid growing concern at the new wave surging across the EU which is forcing some countries to lock down again.
Unjabbed people in Austria can only leave their homes for essential reasons, while bars and restaurants in the Netherlands must shut early.
The biggest fears surround Germany, where there is increasing pressure on hospitals amid low vaccination rates.
There are no plans to stop Christmas happening
Tory chairman Oliver Dowden
Mr Dowden said: “What is happening across the Channel is a constant reminder that this global pandemic hasn’t gone away.
“This country’s approach to the pandemic is to make sure we have high levels of vaccine protection. That is the most appropriate approach.”
He was pressed on whether travel curbs will need to return given criticism the Government was too slow to shut our borders to keep out past variants.
The Tory chairman said: “Of course we keep these things under review all the time. We’ve moved away from some of those restrictions.
“We haven’t ruled it out and of course if the situation changes dramatically we would have to review that again.
“If we have a new variant emerging we’d have to consider what our borders would look like in that situation to protect us as we have done in the past.”
But he added: “I’m confident in the Government’s approach of putting our faith in the vaccine programme.”
Mr Dowden insisted Britain can avoid the fate of many countries on the continent if people come forward for their booster jabs.
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He said: “It is in our hands. If you get the booster when the call comes that is the biggest wall of defence that we have against Covid.
“I am confident that if we stick the course, people take the boosters when they are asked to do so, that vaccine wall will hold up and we will be able to have a decent Christmas this year.
“There are no plans to stop Christmas happening. The huge difference this time is the vaccine.”
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