Families should limit socialising this Christmas amid Omicron spread, warns top doc

BORIS Johnson's Covid rules were in chaos today after a gloomy government pandemic adviser told Brits to limit their socialising over Christmas.

Top doc Jenny Harries said friends and families shouldn't meet up "when we don't particularly need to" to slash the spread of the Omicron super-strain.

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Her remarks prompted a firm slap-down from Downing St which said: "She gives advice to the government, she is not the government."

On a visit to a vaccine centre in London the PM added: "We don't see any need to change the overall guidance about how people should be living their lives."

The advice from Dr Harries, the boss of the UK Health Security Agency and press conference regular, goes far beyond official government guidance.

It risks muddying the Covid rules with the same mixed messaging that dogged ministers during the height of the pandemic.

It came as:

• Boris Johnson was set to hold a press conference this evening on the booster campaign
• He called in the army to help deliver the rollout of third jabs
• The number of Omicron variant cases rose to 14 following another three in Scotland
• Oxford scientists were confident our vaccines should beat the variant
• Downing St said it was "down to individuals" to decide whether they go ahead with Christmas parties
• Sadiq Khan said people should wear masks at the bar of pubs
• Tory MPs lined up to blast the new rules in the chamber this afternoon
• There will be a vote on the slate of measures tonight

Today face masks in shops and public transport become compulsory along with PCR tests for international arrivals.

Mounting concern over the Omicron super-strain - of which there are now 14 UK cases - sparked the fresh restrictions that came in at 4am.

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Justifying the fresh curbs, Care Minister Gillian Keegan this morning said the government would rather "overreact than underreact".

But she said that Christmas is "on track" and urged people not to bin off their winter plans, declaring parties and nativities safe.

🔵 Read our Omicron variant live blog for the latest news

Moments later Dr Harries sowed confusion by giving conflicting advice to the government's.

She cautioned that the mutation could have a "significant impact" on hospitals and told people to lay off the Christmas mixing.

She told the BBC: "We've seen that not everybody has gone back to work and I'd like to think of it more in a general way, which is if we all decrease our social contacts a little bit, actually that helps to keep the variant at bay.

"So I think being careful, not socialising when we don't particularly need to and particularly going and getting those booster jobs which, of course, people will now be able to have at a three-month interval from their primary course."

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Asked if the PM would echo Ms Harries' advice, his spokesman said: "No. Our advice to the public is as set out at the weekend."

Currently there are no restrictions on gatherings and the government has rejected calls to move to full-blown Plan B that would implement working from home.

Mr Johnson said: "We don't see anything to suggest that we need to go for instance to go to Plan B."

He said Ms Harries was "right" that the pandemic isn't over and people should continue taking precautions like hand-washing.

Laying into Ms Harries in the Commons, ex-health minister Steve Brine said she chooses her words carefully and would have meant what she said.

OMICRON RISK

The PM said the threat of Omicron to public health was still unknown but was confident our vaccines would help throttle the spread.

Mr Johnson said: "Whatever the risks the answer is everywhere and always to get the booster because we think it's overwhelmingly likely that the booster, getting vaccinated, will give you more protection."

The Government's booster battle plan will be unveiled later at a Covid press conference with the PM, Sajid Javid and NHS boss Amanda Pritchard.

Mr Johnson, 57, confirmed he was booked in for his third shot later this week.

Earlier Ms Keegan channelled festive hitmaker Mariah Carey by saying: "All we want honestly for Christmas is for everyone to get jabbed."

She said the chances of having to isolate over Christmas were "pretty low" and that "of course Christmas is on track".

Grilled if school nativities should go ahead, she said: "Well, yes, I think we've said 'go about your plans'.

"I mean, obviously, you know, wear a mask, be cautious, you know, all the other... all the things that people usually put in place. To be honest, I think most people are being... have been sensible all along.

"But we're not saying to people cancel your plans. And you know, I'm sure it'd be lovely to go to a nativity play right now."

Lockdown-hating Tory MPs gave the new rules both barrels in the chamber this afternoon.

Craig Mackinlay said the cycle of restrictions, vaccines and accompanying freedoms, followed by variants and new restrictions was "madness".

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Steve Baker said it showed the government was embarking on the "path to hell".

A retrospective vote on the rules is being held tonight and is expected to pass with Labour votes.

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