From Tuesday 30 November, face coverings will be mandatory on public transport, in shops and in crowded enclosed spaces. The government wants to take action after the developments last week regarding the new variant Omicron (B.1.1.529), and as more cases are confirmed in the UK.
There are changes to what travellers arriving to the UK from abroad need to do. Arrivals must take a PCR test on or before the 2nd day of arrival. The PCR test must be ordered from a private company, the lateral flow tests are not valid for this. Get a PCR test
Currently, more research is being carried out to know more about the Omicron variant. So far, the Omicron variant has been found to be more transmissible with an R number of 2. It is yet to be confirmed if it is a more deadly variant, or more resistant to vaccinations.
