WEDDINGS and funerals will be exempt from any new restrictions if Boris Johnson decides tougher measures are needed against Omicron, it’s reported.
The PM is hoping to avoid a lockdown altogether – but it’s believed that even if Brits are plunged into a two-week circuit-breaker, major life events won’t be disrupted again.
Mr Johnson will meet Government scientists and advisers this morning for an update on the super-infectious mutation, which has driven cases in the UK to record highs.
He will face an urgent decision on whether new rules should be introduced ahead of New Year’s Eve, although it’s currently believed he will not lean on further curbs.
However, important events – including marriages and births – will be excluded from restrictions no matter what, The Times reports.
There will also be no changes to the numbers allowed to attend funerals.
In April, the Queen sat alone as she said goodbye to her husband of 73 years, while in 2020, the funeral of 13-year-old Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab was held without any of his family present.
Weddings and funerals are already continuing unhindered in Wales and Scotland, where tougher rules came into force on Boxing Day.
WEDDING JOY
It’s hoped there will be no return to the dark days of a full shutdown amid cheering news that Omicron is milder than other strains, with the risk of hospitalisation between 50 to 70 per cent lower than with Delta.
Covid booster jabs protect against Omicron and offer the best chance to get through the pandemic, health officials have repeatedly said.
Trending In The News’s Jabs Army campaign is helping get the vital extra vaccines in Brits’ arms to ward off the need for any new restrictions.
Ministers are said to be “increasingly optimistic, but very cautiously optimistic” about the ongoing situation, even as cases soar.
Despite that, Brits now face a waiting game to see if their lives will be disrupted again in the days to come.
PM WEIGHS HIS OPTIONS
The PM is reportedly mulling five options, including a curfew, a ban on household mixing and even the dreaded Plan C.
Downing Street is understood to be especially eager to see more hospitalisations data before deciding on any further measures for England.
One source said good news about the mutation appears to be mounting.
“It’s not just that there’s a clear gap between cases and hospitalisations, but also that when people are going into hospital they tend to be there for less time,” they said.
Plan B measures came into force less than three weeks ago, with millions working from home again, and face masks mandatory on public transport and in shops.
In Wales, a maximum of six people can now meet in pubs, cinemas and restaurants, while clubs have closed and indoor mixing is limited to three households in Scotland.
Government officials have repeatedly refused to guarantee schools will remain open to youngsters in the new year, although the PM is reportedly “absolutely determined” to send kids back in January.
It’s also claimed that entire year groups could be forced to learn from home yet again as teachers are forced to isolate with Omicron.
