New rules for double jabbed people are coming in tomorrow

As of tomorrow, people who are double-jabbed and have been in contact with people with Covid-19 will be required to take a daily rapid test for seven days, health officials have announced.

However, unvaccinated adults are not eligible for this new daily testing policy and must self-isolate for ten days if they came into contact with someone who tests positive.

The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) has said the new daily testing aims to reduce pressures on people’s everyday lives by replacing the requirement for Omicron contacts to isolate for ten days.

The policy is also in place to protect the public by identifying asymptomatic cases and stopping the chains of transmission.

However, according to reports this morning home Covid testing kits have run out on the government’s website.

A message on gov.uk says: “Sorry, there are no more home tests available right now. Try again later. Or, you can go back and try to book a test site appointment instead.”

@anniespratt / Unsplash

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The Omicron variant is quickly gaining ground in the UK and is expected to become the dominant strain by mid-December.

“We are taking this proportionate and more practical measure to limit the impact on people’s day-to-day lives while helping to reduce the spread of Omicron.

“Vaccines remain our best defence and I urge anyone yet to get a first and second jab to come forward and those eligible for a booster to get boosted as soon as possible.”

This comes after Boris Johnson brought the target to vaccinate all adults by the end of January forward by a month in a bid to combat the rising Omicron infection rates.

In a pre-recorded message to the nation last night, the Prime Minister warned of the ‘tidal wave’ of Omicron coming before pointing out that two doses of vaccine are ‘simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need’.

He said: “At this point our scientists cannot say that Omicron is less severe. And even if that proved to be true, we already know it is so much more transmissible that a wave of Omicron through a population that was not boosted would risk a level of hospitalisation that could overwhelm our NHS and lead sadly to very many deaths.”

Johnson said extra vaccine sites and mobile units will be set up across England, opening hours of clinics will be extended with more appointments made available, and ‘thousands more’ volunteer vaccinators will be trained.

Forty-two military planning teams will also be deployed across every region to help with the effort.