Omicron Splits U.K. Policy Makers, With England The Odd-One-Out After Choosing Not To Impose New Restrictions

No further COVID-19 restrictions or lockdowns will be imposed in England before the new year, according to United Kingdom Health Secretary Sajid Javid, despite a rise in Omicron cases driving the return of government restrictions in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Javid also said that people should “remain cautious” as the new year approaches and celebrate on December 31 outside if possible. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the government would continue to study incoming COVID data and also urged people to get their “first, second or booster jab without delay,” according to the BBC.

This announcement surprised some, given that it does not align with the other nations which make up the United Kingdom.

Temporary measures have been imposed for hospitality and leisure businesses — such as pubs, restaurants, gyms, museums, and theaters — in Scotland, with physical distancing reinstated from 5 a.m. on Monday.

“Table service must also be used in places where alcohol is served to drink on the premises,” the BBC explained. “Nightclubs also have to close for a period of at least three weeks, though they can stay open if they operate as a pub with table service and distancing.”

In Wales, only groups of six people or less are now permitted to meet in pubs, cinemas, and restaurants. These restrictions were enforced from 6 a.m. on December 26.

“Outdoor events are limited to 50, with 30 people allowed indoors, which also applies to private homes,” the BBC noted.

And in Northern Ireland, hospitality venues were limited to table service from Monday onwards, with a maximum of six people “allowed to sit together at a table and dancing is prohibited, unless at a wedding.”

In addition, only three households may mix, and employers must make efforts to ensure social distancing in the workplace.

These moves come as record COVID-19 cases have been seen across the United Kingdom. In England, 113,628 new cases were reported on December 25, 103,558 on December 26, and 98,515 on December 27. In Scotland, provisional new case numbers were 8,252 on December 25, 11,030 on December 26, and 10,562 on December 27.

However, despite international concern regarding the Omicron variant, it was recently reported that researchers for a new study said that Omicron appears to be milder than the Delta variant of COVID-19, leading to up to 80% fewer hospitalizations.

Of the people who contract the virus and are hospitalized, they’re also 70% less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit or be put on a ventilator compared to those with Delta, the Daily Mail reported on the study led by South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

“So even though cases of omicron were less likely to end up in hospital than cases of delta, it is not possible to say whether this is due to inherent differences in virulence or whether this is due to higher population immunity in November compared to earlier in the year,” Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the U.K.’s University of East Anglia, told the Daily Mail.

Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at @ighaworth.

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