Government measures against Covid-19 variant Omicron to come into force

From Tuesday, November 30, face coverings will be mandatory in shops and on public transport and all travellers returning to the UK will require PCR testing.

Temporary and precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant in the UK will come into force on Tuesday, the Government has confirmed.

From 4am on November 30, face coverings will be compulsory in shops and other settings such as banks, post offices and hairdressers, as well as on public transport unless individuals are exempt from doing so.

All travellers arriving into the country from 4am will be required to take a PCR test on or before day two and self isolate until they have received a negative test result.

These PCR tests can be purchased from private providers. Free NHS tests are not valid for this purpose.

Under the UK presidency an urgent meeting of G7 health ministers will also be convened today (Monday) to discuss the developments on Omicron.

This update adds to the measures rapidly implemented earlier this week to prevent the spread of the new variant, including travel restrictions and meaning all close contacts of anyone who has tested positive for the Omicron variant are required to isolate for 10 days regardless of whether they have been vaccinated.

In a press briefing on Saturday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the tighter Covid measures after two cases of the Omicron variant were discovered in the UK.

Mr Johnson also announced that the UK's Covid booster jab scheme will be ramped up.

The Prime Minister said it appears Omicron "spreads very rapidly, and can be spread between people who are double-vaccinated".

He went on: "We need to take targeted and proportionate measures now... to buy time for our scientists to understand exactly what we are dealing with.

"We're not going to stop people travelling, but we will require anyone who enters the UK to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival, and to self-isolate until they have a negative result."