U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Britain faces a 'tidal wave' of infections from the Omicron coronavirus variant, and he has announced a huge increase in booster vaccinations to strengthen defenses against it.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Sunday that Britain faces a “tidal wave” of infections from the Omicron coronavirus variant, and announced a huge increase in booster vaccinations to strengthen defenses against it.
”And I'm afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need,” Johnson said. “But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose - a booster dose - we can all bring our level of protection back up.” More than 80% of people age 12 and up in Britain have received two doses of vaccine, and 40% of adults have had three doses. Giving the rest a booster in the next three weeks will be a huge challenge, requiring almost 1 million doses delivered a day. Johnson acknowledged that many routine medical procedures would have to be postponed to meet the goal.
The doctors said early evidence shows Omicron is spreading much faster than the currently dominant Delta variant, and that vaccines offer less protection against it. British officials say Omicron is likely to replace Delta as the dominant strain in the U.K. within days.
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