Coronavirus (COVID‑19)

The government has announced that England will move to Plan B in response to the risks of the Omicron variant.

• Wear a face covering in most indoor public places and on public transport
• Get tested and self-isolate if required
• Work from home, if you can
• If you haven’t already, get vaccinated
• Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer

Find out how to stay safe and help prevent the spread

Recent and upcoming changes

COVID-19 response: England will move to Plan B England

The government has announced that England will move to Plan B in response to the risks of the Omicron variant. Find out what you must do to help prevent the spread.

Tests required for travel to England England

From 4am on Tuesday 7 December anyone aged 12 and over must show a negative PCR or lateral flow test result before travelling to England from abroad. You must take the test in the 2 days before you travel to England.

You must also take a PCR test within 2 days of arriving and self-isolate until you get a negative test result, even if you’re fully vaccinated. Check what you need to do to travel to England from another country.

Changes to the red list for international travel England

Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia have all moved to the travel red list. You can only enter England from these countries if you are a UK or Irish resident. You must quarantine in a managed hotel on arrival and take 2 COVID-19 tests.

New rules on face coverings and self-isolation England

You must wear a face covering in shops and on public transport. Face coverings should be worn in communal areas of universities, colleges and schools by staff, visitors and pupils or students in year 7 and above.

If you’re a contact of someone who may have been infected with the Omicron variant, you must self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of your age, vaccination status or any negative test results.

Booster vaccines England

People aged 40 to 49 can now get a booster vaccine 6 months after their second dose. Book your vaccination appointment online or find a walk-in clinic. The NHS will contact you when you are eligible to book your booster dose.

Changes to the red list for international travel Northern Ireland

South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia are now on the travel red list. Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola were added to the red list at 4am on 28 November and Nigeria was added at 4am on Monday 6 December. If you arrive after this, you must book and stay in a managed quarantine hotel. You must also provide proof of a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test taken in the three days before you travel to Northern Ireland.

Booster vaccines Northern Ireland

People aged 40 to 49 can now get a booster vaccine 6 months after their second dose. They will get their booster at a Health and Social Care Trust vaccination hub or community pharmacy.

Vaccinations for young people Northern Ireland

All young people aged 16 and 17 will soon be able to book their second vaccine from 12 weeks after their first dose at an HSC Trust vaccination hub.

All young people aged 12 to 15 can get a first vaccine through the school-based vaccination programme or at an HSC Trust vaccination hub. Find out more about how to get vaccinated in Northern Ireland.

Tests required for travel to Scotland Scotland

From 4am on Tuesday 7 December anyone aged 12 and over must show a negative PCR or lateral flow test result before travelling to Scotland from abroad. You must take the test in the 2 days before you travel to Scotland.

You must also take a PCR test within 2 days of arriving and self-isolate until you get a negative test result, even if you’re fully vaccinated. Read guidance on international travel to Scotland.

Changes to the red list for international travel Scotland

Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia are now on the travel red list . If you arrived in Scotland after 4am on 28 November, you must book and stay in a managed quarantine hotel.

Booster vaccines Scotland

People aged 40 to 49 can now get a booster vaccine 6 months after their second dose. Find out more about the booster vaccine on NHS Inform.

Vaccinations for young people Scotland

All young people aged 12 to 17 are invited to book an appointment or can attend a drop-in clinic to get their vaccine. Find out more about vaccinations for young people on NHS inform.

Tests required for travel to Wales Wales

From 4am on Tuesday 7 December anyone aged 12 and over must show a negative PCR or lateral flow test result before travelling to Wales from abroad. You must take the test no more than 48 hours before you travel to Wales.

You must also take a PCR test within 2 days of arriving and self-isolate until you get a negative test result, even if you’re fully vaccinated. Check the rules for international travel to and from Wales.

Changes to the red list for international travel Wales

Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia are now on the travel red list. You cannot enter Wales if you have been in a red list country in the last 10 days. You must quarantine in a managed hotel on arrival and take 2 COVID-19 tests.

New rules in response to Omicron variant Wales

All staff and students in secondary schools, colleges and universities should wear a face covering indoors where social distancing is not possible.

If you’re a contact of someone who may have been infected with the Omicron variant, you must self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of your vaccination status or age.

Booster vaccines Wales

People aged 40 to 49 will be invited to have their booster vaccine. Your health board will contact you when it’s your turn.

Vaccinations for 12 to 17 year olds Wales

All young people aged 16 and 17 will be invited to have their second vaccine from 12 weeks after their first dose. All young people aged 12 to 15 can contact their health board if they have not received their first dose.

Testing and vaccinations

Testing for COVID-19

Find out how to get tested, what your test result means and how to report your result.

COVID-19 vaccination

Get your COVID-19 vaccination including booster dose, read about how vaccinations work and what happens when you have one.

Guidance and support

Staying safe

Includes advice on preventing the spread of COVID-19, mental health and domestic abuse

• How to stay safe and help prevent the spread

  COVID-19 remains a serious health risk. Find out how to manage the risks and protect yourself and others.

• Face coverings: when to wear one, exemptions, and how to make your own
• Autumn and Winter Plan 2021: how the government will manage COVID-19 in England

Get help and support with domestic abuse, homelessness or if you’re vulnerable

• Domestic abuse: how to get help
• Help if you’re homeless or about to become homeless
• Get support if you cannot go out to get food or medicine from NHS Volunteer Responders

Get mental health support

• Get help coping with mental health problems during coronavirus from Mind
• Getting urgent help for mental health on the NHS website
• Looking after your mental health: Every Mind Matters on the NHS website

Testing and self-isolating

Includes information on getting tested for COVID-19, reporting your results and how to self-isolate

• Find out which COVID-19 test you should get on the NHS website

  Find out about the different types of COVID-19 test and how to get tested.

Getting tested

• Get a COVID-19 PCR test if you have symptoms
• Order rapid lateral flow tests if you do not have symptoms
• Get a test if you have a verification code
• Find out how to register a test kit on the NHS website

Report your test result

• Report a test result from a lateral flow test kit

Self-isolating: what you need to do

• When someone in your household has COVID-19 symptoms or has had a positive test result
• NHS test and trace: what to do if you are contacted

Getting support if you’re self-isolating

• Check if you can get a Test and Trace Support Payment
• Help and support while you're self-isolating on the NHS website
• Find out about getting statutory sick pay if you’re self-isolating

International travel

Includes showing your vaccination status, travelling to England and filling in your passenger locator form

• Travel abroad from England: what you need to do

  Find out the rules for travelling abroad.

• Find out how to use the NHS COVID Pass to show your vaccination status

Travelling to England

• Travel to England: what you need to do based on your vaccination status
• Check if a country is on the red list
• Fill in your passenger locator form
• Find a COVID-19 travel test provider

Long COVID

Includes advice, support and treatment options

• Information and guidance about long COVID on the NHS website

  Find out about the symptoms of long COVID and the treatment and support you can get.

• Get support on your COVID-19 recovery on the NHS website

Self-employment and businesses

Includes keeping your business safe and getting financial support

• Working safely: guidance for workplaces

  Find out how to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading in your workplace.

• How to carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment (Health and Safety Executive)
• Keeping records of staff, customers and visitors
• What to do if an employee is contacted by NHS Test and Trace

Get financial support

• Access the Recovery Loan Scheme
• Claim back Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

Work and support

Includes guidance on finding work, self-employment and benefits

• Being made redundant

  Guidance on finding work, claiming benefits, and managing debts and pensions if you’re being made redundant.

• If you're employed and cannot work
• If you’re self-employed but getting less or no work
• Apply for a Test and Trace support payment

Schools, universities, education and childcare

Includes guidance for parents, carers, students and education settings

Advice for parents and carers during COVID-19

• Information for parents and carers about attending schools, nurseries and colleges during COVID-19
• Guidance for parents and carers of children attending out-of-school settings during COVID-19

Guidance on managing COVID-19 in different settings

• Contingency framework for managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 in education and childcare settings
• Guidance on running and managing early years, schools, colleges and other education providers during COVID-19

See all COVID-19 guidance on GOV.UK

See specific guidance for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

UK COVID-19 statistics

Daily summary of COVID-19 testing, cases and vaccinations

People tested positive

Daily 51,342

Last 7 days 339,861 34,609 (11.3%)

All case data
Latest data provided on 08 December 2021

Patients admitted to hospital

Daily 729

Last 7 days 5,385 42 (0.8%)

All healthcare data
Latest data provided on 04 December 2021

People vaccinated, percentage of population aged 12 and over

First dose 89.0% (51,161,757 people)

Second dose 81.1% (46,610,800 people)

Booster or third dose 37.0% (21,300,859 people)

All vaccination data
Latest data provided on 07 December 2021

• Data and trends from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
• All data and analysis on COVID-19

Announcements

• Prime Minister confirms move to Plan B in England

  Published 8 December 2021

• Tests required before travel to UK and Nigeria added to red list

  Published 4 December 2021

• All adults to be offered COVID-19 boosters by end of January

  Published 30 November 2021

• Measures against Omicron variant come into effect

  Published 30 November 2021

See all announcements

All coronavirus information on GOV.UK

• Guidance
• News
• Legislation (legislation.gov.uk)
• Press conferences (YouTube)
• Press conference statements

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