Enough extra anti Covid restrictions in England: Boris Johnson announced it in the House of Commons, after the Question Time, formalizing from tomorrow the decision to revoke the recommendation of work from home, the British mini Green Pass vaccination and the obligation of masks everywhere among the measures of the ‘Plan B ‘adopted against Omicron. Johnson cited a decline in infections thanks to record third-dose booster vaccines; but the move also appears to be a way to win the belly of the Tory group by the premier, threatened by an internal vote of no confidence in the party on its leadership following the Partygate scandal.
Johnson evoked “the return to plan A”, arguing that the Covid emergency is “entering an endemic phase” in the United Kingdom after more than a year and a half of pandemic and referring to the assessment of scientific consultants according to which the country appears to have passed «The peak» of Omicron infections nationwide.
The lifting of the restriction arrives before the deadline set for January 26, and has led the leader of the Labor opposition Keir Starmer to ask the premier to make public the scientific opinion evoked in support of the acceleration, to clear the field of the suspicion that it is of a maneuver aimed at “saving” the prime minister’s chair rather than “guaranteeing the safety” of British citizens. But the head of government has claimed this decision as the result of the policies of his cabinet, which – although “not without errors”, shared in his opinion with anyone in the world who has had to face the most serious global health emergency in decades – has defended overall how “Right” on the fundamental issues of the pandemic.
At the same time BoJo warned that “caution” is still needed, that the rules on isolation and testing will remain in effect for now in England, not without acknowledging the “pressure” that hospitals still have to endure. However, noting “a stabilization of admissions” in recent days, their decline in London and a general decrease in admissions to intensive care.
Chaos in Austria on the count of new daily cases of Covid-19. After having registered 31,070 new infections this morning, in the afternoon the Ministries of Health and of the Interior corrected the figure to 27,677. However, this is the record figure since the beginning of the pandemic by far greater than the previous record which was 17,006 cases registered on 12 January last. The official bulletin records an explosion of infections in the capital Vienna, with 9,161 new positives in 24 hours, followed by Lower Austria with 4,044 and Tyrol with 3,702. Currently, there are 1,062 Covid patients admitted to hospitals and 193 of these are in intensive care. In Austria, the pandemic has so far claimed 13,956 victims, while 1,328,340 people have been healed. Chancellor Karl Nehammer, in the Council of Ministers, warned that “the pandemic is not over”.
The vaccination obligation will come into effect in Austria at the beginning of February anti Covid for all over 18. This is what a draft law presented by the government indicates. Previously, vaccination was compulsory for all over 14. Those who refuse vaccination will be subject to a fine ranging from 600 to 3,600 euros. The law will apply to all residents of Austria, with the exception of pregnant women and those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. For those who have recovered from Covid-19, there is an exemption period of 180 days. The law is expected to be approved by Parliament on Thursday.
Meanwhile, France has registered 464,769 new cases Covid in 24 hours: there have never been so many in a single day since the start of the pandemic.