UK Ramps Up Vaccination Programme Amid Omicron Concerns

As the Omicron variant spreads, Prime Minister Boris Johnson urges the public to get their booster jabs to enjoy New Year celebrations in a "cautious and sensible way". The government will send hundreds of thousands of text messages and 50,000 letters to remind people to get vaccinated, with a focus on those who have not yet had their booster dose. The vaccination programme has allowed England to maintain its current level of coronavirus controls, but cases are rising in hospitals, with the Prime Minister warning that the overwhelming majority of people in intensive care are not boosted.

Key Takeaways:

• The UK government will send 650,000 texts and 50,000 letters to remind people to get their Covid-19 vaccination.
• Prime Minister Boris Johnson urges the public to enjoy New Year celebrations in a "cautious and sensible way" by getting a booster jab.
• The vast majority of patients in intensive care are either unvaccinated or have not had all their doses, with some medics estimating that 80 to 90% of intensive care ward patients have not had all their jabs.
• The Prime Minister cites NHS figures stating that there are 2.4 million eligible double-jabbed people who are yet to take up the offer of a booster.
• Getting a booster jab can reduce the risk of hospitalization by eight times, with the Prime Minister urging people to "get boosted for themselves and enjoy the New Year sensibly and cautiously".

Statistics:

• 650,000 text messages will be sent to remind people to get their Covid-19 vaccination.
• 50,000 letters will be sent to reinforce the message.
• 2.4 million eligible double-jabbed people have yet to take up the offer of a booster jab.
• The Omicron variant continues to cause real problems, with cases rising in hospitals.
• 80-90% of intensive care ward patients have not had all their jabs.

Sources:

• Sky News
• Prime Minister Boris Johnson, BBC News
• Professor Rupert Pearse, ICU doctor at London's largest NHS trust, Sky News