Acting now on COVID will help avoid lockdown later, Britain's Javid says

LONDON: Britain's decision to impose restrictions to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus will likely avoid the need to impose much tougher controls in the new year, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Thursday.

Javid said the Omicron variant was spreading more swiftly than any other variant studied and could result in around 1 million infections across the United Kingdom by the end of the month if transmission continued at the current rate.

"I hope that most people will understand that by taking some decisive action now, we can potentially avoid action later," Javid told Sky.

Asked if tougher measures could be imposed in January, Javid said: "No. I hope not."

Javid said there was no plan to impose mandatory COVID vaccination for the general population.