In that press conference from Downing Street just now, Boris Johnson unveiled the "Plan B" Covid rules for England.Health Secretary Sajid Javid meanwhile tells the Commons that Omicron is much more transmissible than the Delta variant.if you missed all that, the government has announced new Covid rules for England, in response to concern over the Omicron variant.What are the new Plan B rules for England?
What are the new Plan B rules for England?
- Guidance to work from home will return on Monday and face masks will also have to be worn in more public venues
- Covid passes proving vaccination or a negative test will be required at nightclubs and venues with large crowds
- This means that people should start working from home where necessary from Monday.
- Mask wearing is going to become a more common sight again, as indoor public venues such as cinemas and theatres will require masks from Friday.
- An NHS Covid pass, proving vaccination or a negative test, will be requires for nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather from a week's time.
- Daily testing will be a requirement for those who come into contact with a positive case of Covid.
Working from home a blow, say small firms
Christmas trade is incredibly important, says restaurant owner David AbramovitchImage caption: Christmas trade is incredibly important, says restaurant owner David AbramovitchWhile some companies, such as delivery firms, thrived under England's working from home rules, others fear more uncertainty from the government's latest Plan B guidance.David Abramovitch, co-founder of Grind, says his chain of nine café restaurants in London were just starting to get back on their financial feet after the previous lockdown.It will be "painful" to go into "reverse gear again", he tells the BBC. "Already we've seen a big drop-off in Christmas party bookings since the Omicron variant emerged." Meanwhile Ruth, a dentist, says she feels like people have learned enough to keep working as they are."With the vaccinations and the [personal protective equipment], we have to learn to live with these things. If you lock people down constantly, they're not going to behave themselves."