UK

More than half the confirmed cases of the new Omicron variant in the UK have occurred following at least two vaccination doses, health officials have said. A new technical briefing from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says 12 of the 22 known cases up to 30 November had been fully vaccinated. Another two people

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being used in the UK as boosters prompt the best overall response, according to a UK trial. The study, published in the Lancet, involved almost 3,000 people aged 30 and over, and it found that the mRNA vaccines gave the best boost to antibodies and T-cells, particularly after two initial

The UK has recorded 53,945 new cases of coronavirus – the highest daily figure since mid-July following the European football championship. The last time more cases were reported was on 17 July, when 54,674 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, six days after the tournament’s final at Wembley. Public Health England previously said that England’s deep

A family of four is gearing up for a second Christmas shielding at home after the father was told he had a brain tumour. Greg Priddy was diagnosed with cancer at the end of November last year, after his strange behaviour and sudden weakness on his left side prompted his wife to make him seek

Some Omicron cases are reportedly experiencing “mild” symptoms and experts should have more information about the transmission of the new COVID variant within days, an epidemiologist at the World Health Organisation has said. Speaking at a news conference, Maria van Kerkhove said one of the possible scenarios is that Omicron may become more transmissible than

The government plans to offer booster vaccines to everyone over the age of 18 by the end of January, Boris Johnson has said. Speaking at a Downing Street news briefing on Tuesday, the PM said the rollout of booster programme will go in age order, and that there will be more than 1,500 community pharmacy

Survivors of the Channel tragedy have claimed French and British authorities didn’t respond to calls for help and disagreed about who was responsible  - Sky News has been analysing marine data to see how the emergency response unfolded. Twenty-seven people died when the boat capsized and two survivors have said the group waited hours in

Today fresh measures designed to deal with the emergence of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron have come into force in England. They were announced by Prime Minster Boris Johnson at the weekend amid concern the new variant could be less responsive to vaccines and more infectious. Mask wearing in England is now compulsory in shops,

Six cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been found in Scotland, authorities have confirmed. They are in addition to the three already detected in England. Four cases are in the Lanarkshire area and two have been identified in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. Scotland’s health secretary Humza Yousaf said: “This will be a

Millions more adults and children could be offered extra COVID-19 jabs under emergency measures to limit the spread of the Omicron variant. Experts on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are due to make a decision on offering booster jabs to all over-18s and cutting the gap before a third dose as early

A third person infected with the Omicron coronavirus variant has been identified in the UK, health officials have said. The individual, who is no longer in the country, tested positive after travelling to Britain and “is linked to travel to southern Africa“. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is now carrying out targeted testing where

Compulsory PCR tests for everyone arriving in the UK have been described as a “huge blow” for the travel industry. It is hoped the measures will buy scientists time to learn more about the Omicron variant, but there are fears it will also affect the recovery of an industry hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Boris Johnson has said that people who come into close contact with anyone who tests positive for coronavirus with the new Omicron variant will have to self-isolate, regardless of their jab status, as he delivered a press conference in Downing Street. The prime minister warned the Omicron variant could reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, as

No cases of the new COVID variant have been detected in the UK, but it is highly likely it has now spread beyond southern Africa, the health secretary has said. Sajid Javid warned the new strain could be more transmissible than the Delta variant and there is a “possibility it might have a different impact

A rare red “danger to life” weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for Storm Arwen – with winds so strong they could destroy homes and buildings, disrupt travel and bring down power lines and trees, it says. The Met Office issued its highest alert, warning that gusts in excess of 80mph are

Britain is bringing in travel restrictions for six African countries due to a new COVID variant that UK experts have called the “worst one we’ve seen so far”. Health Secretary Sajid Javid tweeted: “UKHSA (UK Health Security Agency) is investigating a new variant. More data is needed but we’re taking precautions now. “Six African countries

The number of COVID cases the UK has seen since the start of the pandemic has passed 10 million, official figures show. According to government data, the number of people to have tested positive in the latest round of daily figures is 47,240. This takes the total number of coronavirus infections to 10,021,497. The data

An alleged victim of a Hull grooming gang has told how she was bitten, beaten and burned during a violent rape – and that police and her school had concerns she was being abused but failed to stop it. Warning: This article includes graphic content The teenage girl’s mother was so worried after her daughter

Two police officers who shared photos on WhatsApp of the bodies of two murdered sisters have been found guilty of gross misconduct. PC Jamie Lewis and PC Deniz Jaffer had admitted sharing images of the bodies of Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27. Lewis was dismissed from the Metropolitan Police at the pair’s misconduct

Those who kill emergency service members will face mandatory life sentences after the government decided to back a law change prompted by the death of PC Andrew Harper. The government will introduce “Harper’s law” as soon as possible, to bring in mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the line of