British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The United Kingdom raised this Sunday its alert level for Covid to 4 – out of a total of five – as a result of the rapid expansion of micron in the country, after a record of new daily cases of the variant has been registered today, 1,239.
United Kingdom offer to all over 18 years old the possibility of receive a booster dose of the Covid vaccine before the end of the year, to stem the “tide” of infections that are anticipated by the spread of the micron variant.
In a televised message to the nation, the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, acknowledged that his country is facing an “emergency” due to the rapid transmission of micron, which forces to advance by one month the goal of vaccinating all adults with the booster, previously set for the end of January.
Johnson also warned that this massive mobilization of the state, in which also participate the Army, force to cancel consultations and medical check-ups until next year, but he justified it in the face of the threat posed by micron to the “freedoms” of citizens.
“No one should have any doubt that a micron tide is coming and I’m afraid it is clear that two doses of the vaccine are simply not enough to give us the level of protection we need,” Johnson said, according to the Efe agency.
The booster dose can be injected to all those who already received the second dose at least three months ago.
United Kingdom had previously raised the alert level today by Covid-19 to 4 – out of a total of five after registering today a record of cases of the new variant, 1,239, which brings the total to 3,137. Scientists estimate that the number of infections per micron doubles every two to three days today.
Johnson recalled in his speech that experts still do not know if the disease causing the new variant is more serious than the previous ones, but there is consensus that it is much more contagious.
British hospitals have already started receiving micron-infected patients and it is feared that, even if the variant produces less severe effects, the national health system (NHS) is overwhelmed by a flood of income.
In the operation to vaccinate all adults, 42 military teams will be deployed to enable additional vaccination sites and mobile units to allow the pace not to slow down after hours or on weekends. Thousands more volunteers will also be trained to participate in the campaign.
Johnson announced this Wednesday the entry into force of new restrictions such as the generalization of the use of masks in closed public places, the requirement of Covid certificates to enter nightclubs or shows and the recommendation to telework whenever possible.
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