- Title: Londoners 'get on with it' as PM Johnson tells them to get boosted
- Date: 13th December 2021
- Summary: VARIOUS OF BRITISH NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
- Embargoed: 27th December 2021 11:19
- Keywords: London booster vaccines coronavirus restrictions omicron
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Europe,Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA002F7VFXVR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Londoners were determined to carry on with their daily lives on Monday (December 13), despite increased concerns about the rapid spread of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus and the British government warning a "tidal wave" of cases were still to come.
"I've had both my jabs and a booster so I'm a little bit worried but not too bad, just get on with it. Can't stay at home forever," said 56-year-old cleaning manager Carol Gonez.
"For my generation we've had our three jabs so if we go back into lockdown what was the point?" asked 61-year-old banker Shirley Sinclair, although another commuter, Sue said she thought it was "silly" not to be worried by the new variant.
Britain said on Monday that the Omicron coronavirus variant was spreading at a "phenomenal rate" and now accounted for about 40% of infections in London, so people should get a booster shot because the double-vaccinated are still vulnerable.
Since the first Omicron cases were detected on Nov. 27 in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has imposed tougher restrictions and told the nation on Sunday that unless action is taken there could be a million people infected with Omicron by the end of the month.
Johnson, who is grappling with a rebellion in his party over measures to curb Omicron and an outcry over alleged parties at his Downing Street office during last year's lockdowns, said in Sunday's televised address that people should rush to get booster vaccines to protect "our freedoms and our way of life".
Twenty four-year-old student, Darrell Old, thought people were less likely to follow new rules now. "I don't think the compliance will be as high as past lock downs simply because we've had this stint of basically no restrictions. Obviously on top of that you've got all the various political scandals that's been going on at the moment so I think those two factors combined would mean that compliance just isn't there anymore," he said.
Queues were already forming for booster vaccinations at clinics and pharmacies on Monday.
The UK's National Health Service was struggling with high demand for vaccination booking on Monday, putting an online queuing systems in place, while rapid home testing kits were also unavailable on the government website.
"The COVID vaccine booking service is currently facing extremely high demand so is operating a queuing system," the National Health Service said on Twitter. "For all others experiencing waits, we would advise trying again later today or tomorrow. "Home testing kits were also unavailable.
"Sorry, there are no more home test kits available right now," the government's official booking service said. "Try again later. Or, you can go back and try to book a test site appointment instead."
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