Health Secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed there will be no further Covid restrictions in England before the New Year.
He told the public to 'remain cautious' and added: "When we get into the new year, of course, we will see whether we do need to take any further measures, but nothing more until then at least."
This comes as the government were briefed on the latest Covid data today.
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Christmas Day saw a record 113,628 new Covid cases recorded in England, with 103,558 recorded on Boxing Day and 98,515 recorded in the last 24-hour period.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have already tightened rules, including the closure of nightclubs - a measure that has also been introduced in Wales.
But UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson previously said there was not enough evidence on the severity of the Omicron variant, the hospitalisation rate and the impact of the booster rollout to justify tougher measures in England before Christmas.
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He instead highlighted that cases were at an all-time high and the data would continue to be closely monitored, with new measures a possibility after the festive period.
Johnson also encouraged those who haven’t yet received their booster jab to ‘drop everything’ to find a walk-in centre or make an appointment online to ‘get boosted now’.
He reminded Brits of the current guidance, which is to 'wear a mask indoors when required to do so, keep fresh air circulating, and take a test before you visit elderly or vulnerable relatives’.
People in England are also advised to work from home if they can, and present Covid passes to gain entry to large venues or events.
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The Omicron variant is believed to be highly contagious, meaning it spreads much faster than previous forms of the virus.
Early findings last week suggested those infected with Omicron were less likely to be admitted to hospital as it is milder.
However, as it is more contagious, there are concerns that it could lead to staffing issues – including among those who work within the NHS.
Dr Jenny Harries, the chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), told BBC Radio 4's Today programme last Friday (24 December): "There is a glimmer of Christmas hope... but it definitely isn't yet at the point where we could downgrade that serious threat.
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"What we have got now is a really fine balance between something that looks like a lower risk of hospitalisation - which is great news - but equally a highly transmissible variant and one that we know evades some of our immune defences, so it is a very balanced position."
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: UK News