The number of new coronavirus cases in Brighton and Hove has gone up by more than a fifth in a week as the government spells out its “Plan B” measures.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that people should work from home if possible, wear masks in public venues, except when eating and drinking, and expect to be asked for vaccine passports.
Mr Johnson said that he hoped that vaccination, including booster jabs, would help to slow or stop the spread of the omicron strain of the virus as he reiterated that Plan B was not another lockdown.
He said that school nativity plays and Christmas parties could go ahead as planned, provided that the current restrictions were followed.
He encouraged people to take covid tests beforehand, to ventilate indoor spaces and follow hygiene rules.
The tougher Plan B restrictions would probably be reviewed in the new year, Mr Johnson said, as he faced several questions about colleagues holding parties in breach of previous lockdown laws.
Almost 2,000 people tested positive for covid-19 in Brighton and Hove in the seven days to Saturday 4 December.
The figure – 1,907 new cases – was an increase of 329 or 21 per cent – from the 1,578 cases in the previous seven-day period.
The rate – among the highest 20 per cent in the UK – rose from 541 to 654 cases for every 100,000 people.
There were 16 patients with the virus in the Royal Sussex County Hospital today (Wednesday 8 December) and none in the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital.
Five or fewer covid patients in the Royal Sussex were in intensive care or high dependency beds.
