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Coronavirus (COVID‑19)

COVID-19 remains a serious health risk. You should stay cautious to help protect yourself and others.

  • Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer
  • You must wear a face covering in shops and on all public transport
  • Get tested and self-isolate if required
  • If you haven’t already, get vaccinated
Find out how to stay safe and help prevent the spread

Recent and upcoming changes

Choose location

Changes in England

New rules in response to Omicron variant , this guidance applies to 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 travelling to England from abroad you must take a PCR test before the end of day 2 following your arrival and self-isolate until you get a negative test result, even if you’re fully vaccinated.

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.

Changes to the red list for international travel , this guidance applies to England

Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, 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.

Booster vaccines , this guidance applies to 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 in Northern Ireland

Changes to the red list for international travel , this guidance applies to 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. 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 , this guidance applies to 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 , this guidance applies to 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.

Changes in Scotland

Changes to the red list for international travel , this guidance applies to Scotland

South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique 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 , this guidance applies to 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 , this guidance applies to 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.

Changes in Wales

New rules in response to Omicron variant , this guidance applies to 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.

If you’re fully vaccinated and travelling to Wales from abroad, you must take a day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until you receive a negative result.

Changes to the red list for international travel , this guidance applies to Wales

South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique 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.

Booster vaccines , this guidance applies to 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 , this guidance applies to 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

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

Get mental health support

Testing and self-isolating

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

Getting tested

Report your test result

Self-isolating: what you need to do

Getting support if you’re self-isolating

International travel

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

Travelling to England

Long COVID

Includes advice, support and treatment options

Self-employment and businesses

Includes keeping your business safe and getting financial support

Get financial support

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.

Schools, universities, education and childcare

Includes guidance for parents, carers, students and education settings

Advice for parents and carers during COVID-19

Guidance on managing COVID-19 in different settings

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 43,992

Last 7 days 322,042 16,386 (5.4%)

All case data
Latest data provided on 05 December 2021

Patients admitted to hospital

Daily 812

Last 7 days 5,388 -44 (-0.8%)

All healthcare data
Latest data provided on 30 November 2021

People vaccinated, percentage of population aged 12 and over

First dose 88.8% (51,094,640 people)

Second dose 80.9% (46,527,302 people)

All vaccination data
Latest data provided on 04 December 2021

Announcements

See all announcements

All coronavirus information on GOV.UK