‘Not least because I just don’t know whether at some time in the future – next year, the year after, the year after that – there might be a vaccine escape variant that doesn’t work with the current suite of vaccines.’Īnnouncing the government’s winter plans in September, Boris Johnson said the measures should mean no more lockdowns. ‘But I think it would be irresponsible for any health minister in the world to say that this or that is 100 per cent ruled out. I don’t think we are going to need to see another lockdown. He told BBC Breakfast: ‘No one wants to see another lockdown, I certainly don’t. Last month, health secretary Sajid Javid refused to completely rule out a fourth lockdown, particularly if a new variant which could escape the vaccine emerged. ![]() The government hasn’t acknowledged the existence of a ‘Plan C’ but ministers have also fallen short of totally ruling out another lockdown. The most recent figures show that, tragically, around 18 people are still dying each day. During the peak of last winter - when the vaccination programme was still in its infancy - over a 1,000 people were dying each day. However, hospitalisations and deaths are now far lower. ![]() It introduced mandatory Covid passports, compulsory wearing of face coverings and working from home where possible.ĭuring the last three months, there have been around 2.7million cases of Covid, a similar figure to the number of cases seen between October 2020 and January 2021 (just over three million). Plan B is necessary when the NHS is under ‘unsustainable pressure’, and came into force earlier this month. Plan A means offering 12-15-year-olds a single vaccine dose, offering booster jabs to 30million people who are at greater risk, encouraging people who are eligible to get a free flu jab and the continued use of the test and trace programme and free PCR and lateral flow tests. In England, these measures are known as Plan A (which is being implemented already) and Plan B (which will come into force if the government deems it is necessary). Last month, Boris Johnson laid out his plans for preventing the NHS from being overwhelmed by a combination of Covid cases and other winter illnesses. What is the government’s Plan A and Plan B for managing Covid this winter? 'Policy decisions, either to do nothing or something, will need to be made sooner than these uncertainties can be resolved,' a statement from them read last week. Experts from SAGE were calling for a lockdown before Christmas, saying that the government needs to provide clarification either way. ![]() In England, we're currently operating under 'Plan B' rules, but more stringent measures have been rolled out in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in response to the new variant. However, there has been no suggestion from ministers that we will head into lockdown, in fact earlier this month business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News that discussions around travel restrictions and lockdowns were ‘completely unhelpful’ and that the government doesn’t want a fourth lockdown. Boris Johnson was presented with the latest covid figures on Monday and is expected to make an announcement on next moves this week, according to reports. Rather, it has only been confirmed that no new restrictions will come in before New Year. There has been no official word from the government on the likelihood of a January lockdown. 'Will there be a lockdown in January 2022?’ is now are trending search term on Google as well as 'Lockdown after New Year'.īut what has the government said about plans for a January lockdown and what does it intend to do to prevent the NHS coming under ‘unsustainable pressure’? Will there be a lockdown in January 2022? ![]() This year, we may have been told there'll be no new restrictions before the New Year, but it’s unsurprising that the public are still nervous about how winter could play out. Reports that Coronavirus cases are at record levels per day and the government is keeping ‘a close eye’ on numbers conjure one word in the minds of most people: lockdown.Īfter being promised there would be a ‘normal’ Christmas last year, the country was instead plunged into six months of restrictions.
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