Coronavirus latest news: GPs to be offered £15 per Covid vaccination

It's been another busy day amid mounting concerns that omicron could undermine vaccine effectiveness and added details around the next stage of the UK's booster rollout. Here's a recap:

• GPs will be offered £20 for every Covid jab administered on a Sunday as part of a new "Great British vaccination effort" to combat the omicron variant, with an ambitious target to offer all adults a booster before the end of January. 

• All nine cases of omicron in Scotland can be traced back to a single event on November 20, Nicola Sturgeon said, as she warned of the possibility of "many more" people being infected.
• Meanwhile a further eight cases have been detected in the UK, bringing the total to 13, and Sajid Javid has acknowledged that the variant is probably spreading in the community.
• Downing Street has clashed with the head of the UK's Health Security Agency after she urged people not to socialise if they do not need to in the run-up to Christmas.
• On the vaccines front, Moderna's chief executive has predicted a "material" drop in the effectiveness of vaccines in the face of omicron - though Pfizer and AstraZeneca remain more optimistic.
• Elsewhere, omicron was already in the Netherlands when South Africa alerted the World Health Organisation about it last week.
• In South Africa, GPs and other primary healthcare providers in the commercial metropolis Johannesburg have said they are experiencing a surge of Covid-19 cases linked to the new variant. 
• And Greece unveiled plans to fine people over the age of 60 who have not received a first Covid-19 shot, as the country grappled with a surge in coronavirus cases.

Regeneron's Covid-19 antibody drug could be less effective against omicron, the company said on Tuesday, adding to fears about the efficacy of existing treatments after Moderna's top boss raised similar concerns about the company's vaccine (see here). 

Global markets tumbled after comments from Moderna's chief executive officer rekindled worries that the variant may weigh on a nascent global economic recovery.

Based on its study of Omicron's individual mutations, "there may be reduced neutralisation activity of both vaccine-induced and monoclonal antibody conveyed immunity", Regeneron said, adding that the analysis included its Covid-19 antibody cocktail, REGEN-COV.

The company said it was doing further study to quantify the potential impact using the variant's genetic sequence.

One of the antibodies used in the treatment will likely take a hit, the other less so, CEO Len Schleifer said in a CNBC interview.

"Just like vaccines will have to adapt, we're probably going to have to constantly adapt our monoclonals."

At the Downing Street press conference Boris Johnson unveiled an ambitious target to offer booster shots to all adults by the end of January. But how realistic is that figure?

Here are some key takeaways from our data journalist Alex Clark:

• The UK's booster rollout would have to accelerate by a fifth in order to meet the PM's end of January deadline.
• Under the new booster jab eligibility criteria, approximately 45.8 million adults over 18s will be able to get a booster by January 31, as it'll have been three months since their second dose.
• With 17.9m already boosted, that means the UK will have to give out 27.9m over the next two months - or 435,244 shots a day. Yet the UK has only been averaging 366,508 a day in the past week - roughly 18 per cent below the required rate to hit the target.
• At the current rate, the UK will give boosters to 41.4m - some 4.4m short of the total needed to boost all eligible

It is likely that BioNTech and Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine will offer strong protection against any severe disease from the omicron virus variant, BioNTech's chief executive has told Reuters. 

He said lab tests are underway to analyse the blood of people who had two or three doses of the existing vaccine, to see if antibodies found in that blood inactivate omicron, potentially shedding light on whether new vaccines are needed.

"We think it's likely that people will have substantial protection against severe disease caused by omicron," said Ugur Sahin, specifying severe disease as requiring hospital or intensive care.

Sahin told Reuters he expects the lab tests to show some loss of vaccine protection against mild and moderate disease due to Omicron, but the extent of that loss was hard to predict.

"To my mind there's no reason to be particularly worried. The only thing that worries me at the moment is the fact that there are people that have not been vaccinated at all," Sahin added.

While the Downing Street press conference was ongoing, MPs in the Commons approved regulations that force all close contacts of people with the omicron variant to self-isolate by 431 votes to 36.

A measure to approve the new regulations on mask wearing in shops and on public transport also passed, by 434 votes to 23. 

The final question is about working from home - Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have advised this is a good idea, why not England? 

Boris Johnson says he does not think this is necessary. In terms of delta the vaccine rollout is working, while the current measures to tackle omicron are focused on tough measures at the border alongside face masks in some settings.

He once again stresses that he wants to maintain a "balanced and proportionate" approach to the new variant, rather than proceeding with the full Plan B strategy. 

"Of course we will change things if necessary, but what we're looking for is the first real reassurance that we need that the vaccines are efficacious against this new variant," he says, reiterating that the government is "confident" that the boosters will offer protection. 

The Prime Minister finishes with reference to Storm Arwen, saying the government is doing everything it can to restore power to homes affected. 

The cases of omicron announced at the weekend were linked to South Africa, Sajid Javid says in response to a question about whether the worrying variant is already circulating in Britain.

He adds that they do not yet know about the additional eight cases identified today, but that the UK "has to be realistic" about the likelihood that community transmission is taking place.

Boris Johnson is then asked about people reacting to the variant by cancelling Christmas parties or nativities. He says he does not want this to be the case.

What about the risk of going back to the pingdemic in July?

"I don't think that is likely to happen", says the Prime Minister, as so far the number of omicron cases are small. On local measures, he says the government has "settled pretty much on the view" that moving together is the right approach.

And has the government ruled out plan B?

"We haven't ruled out anything," says Mr Johnson, though he calls another lockdown "extremely unlikely".

"In our fight against the delta variant we think it's basically been going our way, or the way that we planned, although cases remain high or high-ish you're seeing a decline in the number of admissions to hospital and the number of deaths, and that's the cruical thing."

He says this will remain under view but as yet, the government has no intention to enact plan B.

Next up, Sajid Javid is asked whether people should switch to use medical-grade masks. He says he sees no need to change the current advice. 

Boris Johnson is asked whether he can reassure people that restrictions will not roll on and on. 

He says the billion dollar question is whether the new variant will beat the vaccine or the booster. The chances are that the booster will give protection of some degree against every variant, he says, but "we are waiting to see what the science tells us".

He adds that the measures put in place will not last "a second longer" than is absolutely necessary, but more data is needed before decisions can be made.

Amanda Pritchard is then asked whether the target of the end of January is really realistic, considering it would involve giving some three million people a week a shot.

"It is our clear intention to ensure everyone who is eligible has a chance to book that booster by the end of January," she says. "There's no maximum to the number of jabs we aspire to give week on week, but we do need to recognise this will build up."

That's a slightly different wording compared to Boris Johnson, who previously suggested everyone would get - not book - their shots before February. 

She's then asked if there are enough vaccine doses to meet targets - it would require some 30 million Pfizer and Moderna shots, the reporter says. 

Thanks to the "outstanding work" of the vaccines taskforce, she says, she has absolute confidence in the supply. 

Asked once again about restrictions, Boris Johnson says the UK is dealing with two variants at the same time: delta and omicron. The latest tougher but "balanced" measures are to stop the rapid seeding of omicron across the country and to give the government time to better understand it, but will be kept in review. 

Amanda Pritchard is then asked - can the NHS cope with such a massive expansion of the rollout? She says it is absolutely the most complicated phase of the programme, but she has huge confidence in the NHS. 

But she also warns that, especially due to the current backlog of care, she expects it to be a difficult winter - although she takes "great comfort" from what the NHS has achieved in the last year.

Now we turn to questions, and Boris Johnson is asked why face masks haven't been mandated across all inside areas such as cinemas and theatres.

The Prime Minister says the government is trying to take a "balanced and proportional" response to slow the spread of omicron while we get to the bottom of the exact impact it has. 

The next question is about what the government is doing to protect those designated as clinically extremely vulnerable, who the vaccines may not work as well in.

Sajid Javid refers to the antivirals the UK has approved and bought, which "work in a very different way to the vaccines". Britain is confident, therefore, that they will offer protection against Covid-19. 

Reflecting on the last year, Amanda Pritchard praises NHS staff for going "above and beyond" to vaccinate people, including an NHS team delivering hundreds of shots in North Yorkshire by candlelight during storms last week. 

She says the NHS are recruiting for 10,000 paid vaccinating roles and also volunteers as the vaccination rollout expands again.

"The NHS and the entire country is living with a once in a generation event," she says, adding that "with public support" the vaccination rollout can be a massive success. 

Now NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard has taken the stage. She says the NHS Covid vaccination programme was "already in its most complex stage" and staff are working at speed to respond to the "biggest change" in vaccine eligibility since the programme began.

"If you are not already eligible, please do not contact the NHS," she says, stressing that those eligible will be told when they can access shots.

She says that hospitals have been asked to vaccinate other eligible healthcare workers in their region alongside their own staff, while 30 hospitals are also offering shots to the public. This number will increase in the coming months.

Turning to GPs, she says the payment for standard vaccine delivery will increase to £15 a shot, while an additional £5 a shot will be offered for vaccines delivered on Sunday's and £30 for housebound vaccinations until the end of  January.

Efforts will also be made to help free up clinicians time, and the 15 minute review period after a shot is given will also be reviewed to help make the process quicker.

She notes that there are now 3,000 vaccination sites across the country - more than double the number at the start of the year - while pop up clinics will make shots even more accessible. 

It's more important than ever that "people step up and get protected", says Sajid Javid, stressing that boosters are a critical element to maintain a strong immune response in the face of omicron. 

He adds that the latest JCVI guidance means, mentioned by Boris Johnson, means the UK can now "put the booster campaign on steroids".

"We've set some hugely ambitious targets and we're asking a huge amount form the NHS," he says, adding that he has "no doubt" that the health service will rise to the challenge.

He turns to omicron, noting that there have now been 13 confirmed cases in England plus nine in Scotland - and "we expect to see these numbers rising" in the next few days.

He warns that there is a lot that we still don't know, but the UK's strategy is to "buy the time we need" to assess the new variant while doing everything we can to strengthen our defences - for instance via antivirals and the booster programme. 

And talking about Christmas, he says that vaccinations are our "best chance" of a festive period with family and friends. 

Vaccination is "our best single defence against omicron", the Prime Minister has said, kicking off the Downing Street press conference by urging people to get vaccinated and boosted.

"If you're boosted, your immune response will be stronger", he says, recapping the announcements made by the JCVI yesterday which expanded eligibility among children and adults. And additional 14 million adults, for instance, became eligible for a booster in England alone.

He says the target the government has set is to offer a booster to everyone eligible by the end of January, and the NHS will be working through those eligible by five year age bands.

The Prime Minsiter adds that people should therefore not try to book their vaccination until they are invited to come forward by the NHS.

"We are going to throw everything at it, to ensure that everyone eligible for that booster will be vaccinated within two months".

He adds that there will be temporary vaccination centres "popping up like Christmas trees", with the military, pharmacies and GPs deployed in an attempt to hit the daily vaccination rate seen earlier this year. 

"It's time for another Great British vaccination effort," he says. "Lets not give this virus a second chance."

Another eight cases with mutations "consistent with" the omicron variant have been identified in England, taking the total number of cases found so far to 13. 

According to the UK  Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the individuals and their contacts are now isolating, while work is underway to identify any travel links with southern Africa. 

It means cases have now been found in the East Midlands, East Anglia, London and the North West. 

“It is very likely that we will find more cases over the coming days as we are seeing in other countries globally and as we increase case detection through focused contact tracing,” said Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA.

 “That’s why it’s critical that anyone with Covid-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.”

She also stressed that "vaccination is critical" and urged people to get their first, second, third or booster jab "without delay". 

In roughly 15 minutes we're expecting Boris Johnson to lead a press conference from Downing Street, joined by Health Secretary Sajid Javid and NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard.

The Prime Minister is expected to set out additional details of the plan to accelerate the Covid-19 booster shot programme. 

We'll bring you all the latest updates, or you can watch live via the video feed at the top of this blog. 

Russia has cut the validity of PCR tests necessary for travel or public events to 48 hours in the light of the new coronavirus strain, Nataliya Vasilyeva reports. 

Anna Popova, head of Russia's public health watchdog, told a televised government meeting today that Russia has not yet recorded a single case of the omicron strain but will take precautions against what could be a more infectious variant of coronavirus.

Russians currently need a vaccine certificate or a PCR test done no earlier than 72 hours prior to be able to access museums and other public places although the exact restrictions vary from region to region.

Mrs Popova said on Tuesday Russia will cut the validity of a PCR test to 48 years "given the qualities of the new Omicron strain, its highly infectious nature and an ability to trigger a fast immune response."

Mrs Popova, who said the new strain "causes a serious concern and requires further study", called on Russians to reconsider their possible holiday trips abroad, citing a potential shambolic travel season and risks of getting stuck in a foreign country.

The EU drug regulator has said it could approve vaccines adapted to target the omicron variant of the coronavirus within three to four months if needed, but street that it expects existing shots will continue to provide protection.

Speaking to the European Parliament, European Medicines Agency (EMA) executive director Emer Cooke said it was not known if drugmakers would need to tweak their vaccines to protect against Omicron, but the EMA was preparing for that possibility.

"Were there a need to change the existing vaccines, we could be in a position to have those approved within three to four months," she said.

"Companies adapting their formulations to include the new sequencing... will then have to show that the production system works, they will then have to do some clinical trials to determine that this actually works in practice."

EMA clarified in a separate statement that the review will start when the drugmakers decide they need to change the vaccine and begin work on that.

Related: Moderna chief predicts vaccines will be much less effective against omicron variant

France has registered about 47,000 new confirmed Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours, in the highest one-day tally since the height of the country's third wave.

It comes after the country registered its biggest jump in coronavirus hospitalisations since spring, with the number of patients in hospital with the virus up by 470 to 9,860 and the number of patients in intensive care up by 117 to 1,749 people.

The latest case tally pushes the total number of infections reported in France since the start of the pandemic to 7.67 million, while the average number of new cases reported per day in the last week now stands at well over 32,000. 

During the third wave in the spring, this average briefly rose above 42,000, while France recorded nearly 85,000 Covid-19 infections on April 8 - a record high. 

In an update today, authorities warned that the vast majority of Covid-19 patients currently in hospital have not been vaccinated. About 75 per cent of the French population has now had two jabs. 

India’s financial capital of Mumbai has delayed the planned full reopening of schools from Wednesday until December 15 until more is known about the omicron variant, Joe Wallen reports.

In person classes for younger students have remained suspended since March 2020, with India battling a devastating second wave of Covid-19 earlier in the spring. 

Several arrivals from South Africa have tested positive for the virus this week and the Indian government is racing to identify whether any cases are of the omicron variant.

The authorities have also ordered Indian states to ramp up testing for Covid-19, while arrivals from ‘at risk’ countries including South Africa and Botswana will be subject to a RT-PCR test and seven-day home quarantine.

Here's a look at the trajectory of India's coronavirus epidemic:

 Omicron was present in Europe at least 10 days ago, before South African health experts alerted the World Health Organization about their concerns around the highly mutated variant.  

The Netherlands' RIVM health institute found omicron in samples dating from November 19 and 23, meaning it was already in western Europe before reports came out of South Africa on November 24. 

It remains unclear where or when the variant first emerged or how contagious it might be, but that hasn't stopped wary nations from rushing to impose travel restrictions, especially on visitors coming from southern Africa.

Those moves have been criticised by South Africa and the WHO has urged against them, noting their limited effect.

Boris Johnson has said there is "doubt about what exactly that variant (omicron) can do", but boosters vaccinations would give "a lot of protection against all types of the virus".

The Prime Minister said he would be getting his booster jab later this week, but added: "We don't see any need at present, certainly, to change the overall guidance about how people should be living their lives."

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to a GP surgery in North London, he said: "The answer is everywhere and always to get the booster because we think it's overwhelmingly likely that the booster (and) getting vaccinated will give you more protection."

Asked about comments made by Stephane Bancel, the chief executive of Moderna, that there was likely to be a "material drop" in vaccine effectiveness with omicron, Mr Johnson said he was "probably right" but stressed that it did not mean that vaccines would be rendered totally ineffective.

"He's not necessarily saying that this will mean that the vaccines are ineffective against serious illness or death. But they may be less effective in preventing transmission," he said.

Olaf Scholz, who is set to take over as German chancellor next week, supports making Covid vaccinations compulsory and backs barring the unvaccinated from non-essential stores, sources said on Tuesday.

Mr Scholz and outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel were meeting regional leaders on Tuesday to discuss how to respond to soaring infections in a fourth wave of the pandemic.

According to sources, Mr Scholz told the meeting he was in favour of a cross-party initiative to make vaccines mandatory, with the hope that it could be put into practice by the end of February.

Neighbouring Austria, which like Germany has a relatively low rate of vaccination compared with the rest of western Europe, earlier this month announced plans to make vaccines compulsory as of February.

Mr Scholz is also in favour of making non-essential stores require customers to show proof of vaccination o

The World Health Organization called Tuesday for countries to keep calm and take "rational" measures in response to the new, fast-spreading Covid variant Omicron, which has sparked global panic.

"We call on all member states to take rational, proportional risk-reduction measures," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing to countries.

"We still have more questions than answers about the effect of Omicron on transmission, severity of disease, and the effectiveness of tests, therapeutics and vaccines," he added.

Ireland will require all arrivals to have proof of a negative Covid-19 test - regardless of their vaccination status - to slow the potential spread of the new omicron coronavirus variant, a government source said on Tuesday.

Ireland is studying 11 suspected omicron cases after initial tests showed they had a trait distinct from the dominant delta variant. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said it is likely the new variant is present in the country.

Fully vaccinated passengers will be required to have taken a lab-conducted antigen test no more than 48 hours before travelling or a PCR test within 72 hours of arrival, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity, after ministers agreed the measures.

The antigen option will not be available to unvaccinated arrivals or those who have been previously infected.

The new rules will apply to arrivals from Britain but not across the open border with Northern Ireland. Ireland and Britain share a common travel area and similar rules introduced by London last week do not apply to passengers from Ireland. 

On a trip in North London, Boris Johnson was asked whether he agreed with UK Health Security Agency chief Dr Jenny Harries, who suggested people could limit their social contacts to curb the spread of the new coronavirus variant.

The Prime Minister said: "I think it's always sensible to be careful. But I think what Jenny is saying there is right, we've been living with a pandemic for a long time, people should continue to do things like make sure they have lots of fresh air, they wash their hands and take normal precautions, I think that's entirely reasonable."

"But we're not going to change the overall guidance. We don't think that's necessary. We don't see anything to suggest that we need to go, for instance, to Plan B."

"But what we do need to do is take particular precautions against omicron until we've worked out exactly what kind of a threat it may present."

Last week in Spain saw close to 80,000 people have their first jab in Spain, almost double the figure in the first week of November after several regions introduced the use of a Covid passport system to access bars and nightlife, reports James Badcock.

The age groups most represented among those joining queues for first jabs were people in their twenties and thirties, among whom resistance to vaccination has been highest. Almost 19,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 had their first shot last week, followed by 17,000 people in their thirties.

They are being joined by the over-70s, who are signing up massively to booster shots.

Overall, 91 per cent of the target population in Spain has had at least one jab, and 89 per cent are now fully protected. But among people in their twenties and thirties, the number of those vaccinated with at least one jab is lower, at 82 per cent and 80 per cent, respectively.

Vladimir Putin, whose country has not officially recorded a single case of the omicron variant, has tasked his government to come up with a plan of how to deal with the new strain, reports Nataliya Vasilyeva.

The Russian president, who spoke at a government-sponsored investment forum in Moscow via a video-link, said on Tuesday there are still too many unanswered questions about the new strain.

"It will become clear in the coming weeks how serious the risks of the new strain are," he said.

"The economy is gradually recovering but the pace of this recovery is now in question because of the reason you're well aware about."

Mr Putin asked his government to present a new action plan on how to deal with omicron by the end of the week.

Russia has imposed restrictions on travellers from the countries where it has been detected but stopped short of sealing its borders.

Virulence is the ability of a pathogen to wreak damage on those it infects, and it is on news of the virulence or lethality of omicron that the world now anxiously awaits.

If the news is positive and the new variant turns out to be milder than earlier strains, expect the latest round of restrictions to be quickly unwound. We’ll breathe a global sigh of relief and get on with learning to live with the virus again.

If, on the other hand, this variant – already thought (but not proven) to be more transmissible than its predecessors – is more deadly we will not be in a good place. Even less so if it has the combination of mutations needed to bypass our hard-won immunity or at least dilute it.

Paul Nuki warns it could take up to six weeks for scientists to find answers to how dangerous the virus is.

You can read Paul's analysis in full here

The University of Oxford has said there was no evidence that vaccines would not prevent severe disease from omicron, but that it was ready to rapidly develop an updated version of its vaccine developed with AstraZeneca if necessary.

Earlier on Tuesday, the head of pharmaceutical giant Moderna said that Covid-19 jabs were unlikely to be as effective against the variant, jolting global markets.

The University of Oxford said that there was limited data on omicron so far, and that it would carefully evaluate the impact of the variant on its shot, echoing an AstraZeneca statement last week.

"Despite the appearance of new variants over the past year, vaccines have continued to provide very high levels of protection against severe disease and there is no evidence so far that omicron is any different," it said in a statement.

"However, we have the necessary tools and processes in place for rapid development of an updated Covid-19 vaccine if it should be necessary."

Unvaccinated Austrians refusing to get jabbed face fines of up to €7,200 (£6,127) from February, reports our Europe Editor James Crisp. 

Austria became the first country to re-enter full lockdown in Europe on November 22, and the first to decide to make vaccination compulsory. 

The government had earlier introduced a lockdown just for the unvaccinated in a bid to boost numbers getting the jab but was forced to make it universal in the face of soaring infections. Just two thirds of Austrians are fully vaccinated. 

Under the draft bill, seen by the Die Presse newspaper, everyone resident in Austria must get jabbed unless they have health reasons not to, are pregnant or under the age of 12. 

Anyone refusing to comply will be summoned to their district authorities. If that summons is ignored twice, the person will be fined €3,600 (about £3,000). 

If refusal to get the jab puts people at “serious risk” or if they continue to refuse to get a Covid-19 vaccine, the fine can be doubled. 

Among ideas still to be worked out is a proposal to fine anyone who cannot prove they are vaccinated every six months. Booster vaccinations are also expected to be made compulsory but how that should be policed and the length of time between jabs is yet to be finalised. 

The bill will be formally presented on December 6 and the draft is subject to change. 

There were protests against compulsory vaccinations in Vienna after the idea was first mooted following crisis talks between the federal government and regional leaders.  

The leader of the FPO,  the hard-Right opposition party, declared that Austria had become a dictatorship after Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg blamed the unvaccinated for the return of lockdown. 

Germany’s highest court has ruled that last winter's lockdown was legal, potentially clearing the way for new restrictions when Angela Merkel holds talks with regional leaders this afternoon, reports Justin Huggler.

The Consititutional Court rejected several challenges to the lockdown, ruling it was justified and proportionate in the light of an “overriding public interest” in the face of the “extreme danger of the pandemic”.

The court rejected arguments that school closures were an infringement of children’s right to an education, and that curfews were an infringement of civil liberties.

The ruling comes just hours before Mrs Merkel is to hold talks with regional leaders and incoming chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss tightening restrictions. Mrs Merkel and regional leaders from her Christian Democrat party (CDU) have been pressing for a new lockdown.

But Mr Scholz, who is to replace Mrs Merkel as chancellor next week, has so far resisted the calls and urged regional governments to use other measures introduced by his incoming government.

Any new lockdown would require a vote in parliament, after the incoming coalition allowed the old emergency law to expire last week. The German infection rate dropped slightly for the first time in three weeks on Tuesday. While the reduction was small, virologists said the rate has been slowing for several days and the R number is now below 1.

While it is too early to be certain. There are grounds for “cautious optimism” that the German infection rate could stop rising and plateau as in the UK, Hendrik Streeck, a leading German virologist said.

Conservative MPs are meeting this morning to discuss their reservations over the reintroduction of Covid restrictions, ahead of key vote this afternoon. 

Members of the Covid Recovery Group have told The Telegraph they are concerned about proposals to allow rules requiring anyone coming into close contact with an individual who tests positive for the omicron variant to isolate, as they appear to run until March next year.

Backbenchers are threatening to rebel on this measure, for fear it could lead to a return of the pingdemic experienced this summer, in which thousands of people were forced into quarantine.  Other measures, such as mandatory mask wearing, come up for review in three weeks. 

MPs are also deeply unhappy about comments by Dr Jenny Harries, who this morning said people should not socialise unnecessarily in the run-up to Christmas. 

One said: "Who put her in charge of who people can meet?"

You can follow all the latest developments from Westminster with my colleague Catherine Neilan on our dedicated politics live blog here.

Pakistan's political opposition has demanded an inquiry into how coronavirus response funds were spent after an audit found billions of rupees of irregularities, reports Ben Farmer.

A 200-page investigation by the state Auditor General of Pakistan raised questions over 40bn rupees (£170m) of spending during the pandemic, the Express Tribune reported.

Irregularities included poor procurement, welfare payments to people who were not eligible and the purchase of substandard goods.

The audit found the government was poorly prepared and there were instances of bad procurement, delays and weak financial controls.

The International Monetary Fund made the release of the audit one of its conditions for the country getting a $1bn loan by January.

Senator Sherry Rehman, a senior politician with the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, told The News: “This is just a trailer of corruption as the whole movie is still left. The government did not spare even the Corona fund, which is taxpayers’ money.”

The Covid-19 omicron variant was detected in the Netherlands before two flights arrived from South Africa carrying the virus, Dutch health official have admitted.

"We have found the omicron coronavirus variant in two test samples that were taken on November 19 and November 23," the National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) said. "It is not clear yet whether these people have visited Southern Africa."

At least 14 people on two flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town arrived in the Netherlands on November 26 carried the new variant, the RIVM said.

Greece will make vaccinations mandatory for people aged 60 and over, a drastic step for the country grappling with a new surge in coronavirus cases.

Authorities said they would impose a 100 euro (£85) fine on every individual over the age of 60 who was not vaccinated. The measure would apply each month from Jan. 16 onwards.

About 63 per cent of the population of about 11 million is fully vaccinated. Vaccine appointments have picked up in recent weeks.

"We are focusing our efforts on protection of our fellow citizens and for this reason their vaccination will be mandatory from now on," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told a cabinet meeting.

"Greeks over the age of 60 who have not been vaccinated must, by Jan. 16, booked an appointment for their first dose, or else they will face a 100 euro administrative fine every month."

The country this month barred unvaccinated people from indoor spaces including restaurants, cinemas, museums and gyms, even if they had tested negative for the coronavirus.

At least 1,090 school pupils in Seoul tested positive for the coronavirus last week, the first week that children were back in classes across the South Korean capital as part of the government’s “Living with Covid-19" initiative, reports Julian Ryall. 

An additional 95 teachers and school staff in Seoul tested positive for the virus between November 22 and 28, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced.  

Health authorities have been able to determine that 36 per cent of the cases were from students’ family members, while nearly 19 per cent of transmissions took place within schools. Infection routes could not be identified in the remainder of the cases.  

Kindergartens, junior, middle and high schools across South Korea returned to full in-person classes last week under the campaign to return the nation to normality, with schools reporting that 86 per cent of he 824,000 pupils in Seoul are now attending classes.  

According to Yonhap News, the local education authority has said it will step up inspections of school facilities to ensure that guidelines are being followed. 

The voices of those who lost loved ones to Covid-19 must be at the heart of the public inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic, campaigners have said.

Prime minister Boris Johnson pledged in May to hold a full, independent public inquiry into the Covid pandemic, saying it would start in the first half of next year.

Now, Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, a campaign group that was instrumental in getting the government to agree to an inquiry, have published a report laying out the key areas they say the investigation must cover.

In the foreword to the report Jo Goodman and Matt Fowler, who both lost their fathers to Covid, said a comprehensive, independent, public inquiry was the only way to learn lessons from the pandemic and prevent any loss of life in the future.  

They added: “It is our sincere hope that this report will help the government and future chair of the inquiry to understand the perspectives of those who have experienced the pandemic first-hand, and to ensure that their voices are at the heart of this inquiry.”

You can read the full story from our Global Health Security deputy editor, Anne Gulland,  here.

The French contestant for Miss Universe has reportedly caught Covid after arriving in Israel for the beauty competition, which officials say will go ahead despite concerns about the omicron variant.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Clémence Botino tested positive upon arrival in Israel and it is not yet known whether she was carrying the new strain of coronavirus.

Israel's tourism minister, Yoel Razvozov, said the competition will continue as planned despite rising global concerns about omicron. The majority of contestants have already arrived in Israel.

"This is an event that will be broadcast in 174 countries, a very important event, an event that Eilat, too, is very much in need of," he said

"We will know how to manage this event. So, by using the waivers committee, we will have events like this, to which the country already committed itself and cannot cancel."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended England's new coronavirus rules, which came into force on this morning.

"The measures taking effect today are proportionate and responsible, and will buy us time in the face of this new (omicron) variant," he said.

"Vaccines and boosters remain our best line of defence, so it is more important than ever that people come forward when eligible to get boosted."

"India will introduce booster doses for its immunocompromised population, over fears of the omicron variant spreading and overwhelming its public health system, reports Joe Wallen.

Three arrivals from South Africa have tested positive for Covid-19 over the last week. Of two passengers in Bangalore, one was found to have the delta variant and the second has a new, different variant. 

The Indian government will confirm whether this is India's first case of the omicron variant later today. India, one of the world's largest producers of Covid-19 vaccines, had said it would prioritise exports to other developing countries over domestic booster doses.

But, fears are now growing over the potential spread of omicron in India, which is believed to be six times more transmissible than the delta variant which devastated the subcontinent in the spring.

To speed up rollout, the Indian government is planning to carry out door-to-door vaccinations for adults yet to receive their second dose and will also begin the immunisation of children in the new year.

Currently, 82 per cent of Indian adults have received one dose but only 44 per cent of its eligible population have been fully vaccinated."

Scotland has identified three further cases of the omicron variant, taking the national total to nine cases.

The country's health minister Hamza Yousaf said there are now five cases in the Lanarkshire area and four in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, up from the six across the two areas announced on Monday.

Asked if there was any connection between Cop26 or a recent South Africa rugby match, he told BBC Good Morning Scotland: "There's nothing that links these cases or indeed the variant back to Cop26 or indeed the rugby match."

He added: "There's nothing that indicates these cases or this new variant has come via the rugby or Cop26 but that work of course is still ongoing ."

Drugmaker Moderna's CEO set off fresh alarm bells in financial markets on Tuesday after he warned that Covid-19 vaccines were unlikely to be as effective against the omicron variant as they have been against the delta version.

Crude oil futures shed more than a dollar, the Australian currency hit a year low, and Nikkei gave up gains as Stéphane Bancel's comments spurred fears that vaccine resistance could lead to more sickness and hospitalisations, prolonging the pandemic.

"There is no world, I think, where (the effectiveness) is the same level . . . we had with delta," Moderna CEO Bancel told the Financial Times in an interview.

"I think it's going to be a material drop. I just don't know how much because we need to wait for the data. But all the scientists I've talked to . . . are like 'this is not going to be good'," Mr Bancel said.

The uncertainty about the new variant has triggered global alarm, with border closures casting a shadow over a nascent economic recovery from a two-year pandemic.

News of its emergence wiped roughly $2 trillion off the value of global stocks on Friday, but some calm was restored this week as investors waited for more data on omicron.

Japan has confirmed its first case of the omicron coronavirus variant, a day after authorities announced new Covid border restrictions.

"Regarding the traveller arriving from Namibia, it was confirmed to be a case of Omicron after analysis at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases," government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.

"This is the first omicron case confirmed in Japan," he said, adding that the infected traveller, a man in his 30s, is now in isolation at a medical facility.

The case was flagged during routine testing at an airport. Japan requires all arrivals to be tested before travelling to the country and when they land.

The announcement came a day after Japan tightened its border rules again, barring all new foreign arrivals just weeks after relaxing tough regulations to allow some students and business travellers entry.

The new rules mean only Japanese citizens and existing foreign residents can enter the country, with few exemptions, and those coming from areas with known omicron cases require hotel quarantines ranging from three to 10 days.

Richard Walker, the boss of the grocery chain Iceland, has warned that he will not ask staff to police the government's face mask policy because of the potential threat of abuse.

“My store colleagues can’t be expected to police those who refuse,” he said.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, which represents most big retailers, told the Guardian: “It is vital that we do not place hardworking retail staff in harm’s way, and enforcement of face coverings must remain the duty of the authorities.”

Mike Cherry, national chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, also told the newspaper: “It’s vital that [shop owners] feel supported by government at every level and by the police, if necessary.”

“We do hope that customers will recognise, like they did during previous restrictions, the government’s new guidelines when visiting their local independent shops. We’re urging shoppers to make sure they show respect to the shop owners and staff of every business they go to.”