UK Reports First Omicron Death, PM Johnson Encourages Boosters

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced his nation’s first death from the omicron variant of COVID-19.

What Happened: The BBC reported that Johnson alerted reporters to the fatality during a visit to a vaccination center.

“I think the idea that this is somehow a milder version of the virus, I think that’s something we need to set on one side and just recognize the sheer pace at which it accelerates through the population,” Johnson said. “So, the best thing we can do is all get our boosters.”

Johnson declared an “omicron emergency” in a televised address to the nation on Sunday night, stating that booster shots of the COVID vaccine will be offered to everyone over 18 beginning this week.

"No one should be in any doubt, there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming," Johnson said in his televised speech.

The omicron variant’s spread in the U.K. has resulted in the government raising its COVID alert system to level four, which means a high or rising level of transmission. The last time that the nation had a four level was in May.

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What Else Happened: The BBC also reported that the National Health Service website crashed on Monday morning as thousands of people tried to schedule their COVID booster shots.

Online bookings for Britons 30 and older opened on Monday, while bookings for those ages 18 to 29 will start on Wednesday.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that more than 110,000 people had booked a booster before 09:00 a.m. local time. The NHS added that 750,000 people were able to book a booster appointment over the weekend.

The U.K. Health Security Agency said 10 people have been hospitalized with the variant, noting the patients ranged in age from 18 and 85.

Within the U.K., residents have a choice of the vaccines developed by Pfizer PFE and BionTech BNTX, Johnson & Johnson JNJ, Moderna MRNA and AstraZeneca AZN and Oxford University.

Related Link: Why 44% Of Small Business Owners Are Worried About Impact From Omicron: Report

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