Is Boris Johnson making an announcement today? When to expect next Covid update on potential new restrictions

Boris Johnson is expected to make an announcement this week on whether tighter Covid restrictions will be introduced in England.

The Prime Minister is due to be presented with the latest data on the spread of the Omicron variant on Monday, which will inform any decision on new measures.

While more stringent rules have been rolled out in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in response to the new variant, England has so far escaped further restrictions.

However, if the latest Covid figures are less positive than hoped, the current Plan B rules could be tightened – here’s when to expect an announcement.

Will Boris Johnson give a Covid announcement today?

While the Prime Minister is being briefed on the Covid data on Monday 27 December, he is not expected to make an official announcement today.

Instead, it is thought that Mr Johnson will deliver any briefing on new rules on Tuesday 28 December at the earliest.

Throughout the pandemic, press conferences or significant updates have tended to come in the early evening, at around 5pm.

Whenever it is confirmed, you’ll be able to watch the next announcement live on BBC News and Sky News on TV, accessible online through BBC iPlayer here and the Sky News live YouTube stream.

The PM’s last major briefing came in the form of a video message (rather than a full press conference) on Tuesday 21 December.

In that, Mr Johnson confirmed there would be no further restrictions introduced before Christmas Day, but warned that there could be new measures after the festive period.

More on Covid-19

What could new Covid restrictions look like?

The Prime Minister is expected to receive advice from his senior scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance during Monday’s briefing, which will focus on how cases, hospital admissions and deaths have changed since Christmas Eve.

Key indications he will be looking for are whether cases of Omicron have peaked in London, the epicentre of the variant’s wave, and whether daily hospital admissions in the capital surpassed 400 on Christmas Eve – after reaching 386 on 22 December, the figure for the most recent update.

If the figures are positive, Mr Johnson could be persuaded to stick to lighter touch measures introduced under Plan B, potentially with some extra words of guidance.

However, if cases were beginning to put unsustainable pressure on the NHS, the PM may feel the need to intervene with more stringent restrictions.

Whatever happens, The Times reports that weddings and funerals would be exempt from any new rules, while it is understood school closures are not being considered by ministers for January.

Beyond this, the options facing Mr Johnson are broadly as follows (i‘s Policy Editor Jane Merrick has provided a full analysis here):

• Stick to Plan B: This is the likely option if Monday’s briefing provides an optimistic picture on the Omicron wave. New Year in England will proceed as normal, under Plan B rules. Several Cabinet ministers and Conservative backbenchers will be happy, but some experts who still fear pressure on hospitals in January will be concerned.
• Soft Plan C: This option is most likely if the data shows no real improvement in cases or admissions, suggesting the NHS will still come under intense, but not unsustainable, pressure in January. Mr Johnson, facing an even greater Tory rebellion in Parliament if he tries to introduce legal restrictions, opts for toughening the guidance. This could include advising people not to mix indoors, which would have an impact on reducing transmission between households.
• Hard Plan C: If the figures show the Omicron wave is continuing to rage through the UK, Johnson may decide the best option is to implement legally enforced restrictions, similar to Step 2 of the roadmap in place in England last spring. Restrictions could include a ban on indoor gatherings in both private homes and in restaurants and bars. Hospitality settings could stay open but would have to serve outdoors, and there would be limits on outdoor gatherings of two households or a maximum of six people.
• Full lockdown: This is the least likely scenario, and would only be considered if cases began to rise exponentially again and hospitals are unable to cope. People would be told to stay at home except essential shopping, and all hospitality and retail would close, although even in a full lockdown it is expected they would remain open.

In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland new Covid restrictions came into effect on Boxing Day after being announced ahead of Christmas.