Omicron: Take precautions at Christmas, Mark Drakeford says

The first minister has urged people to "think carefully" about whether to meet vulnerable relatives over Christmas.

Mark Drakeford said people must "take precautions" amid concerns over the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

A senior official said it was inevitable it would be found in Wales.

It comes as Welsh ministers are considering whether further restrictions are needed, but Mr Drakeford said there were no plans to close businesses.

On Monday he and Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for everyone arriving in the UK to have to isolate for eight days.

But that was rejected by Downing Street.

Six Omicron cases were found in Scotland on Monday, taking the UK total to 11.

Four of the cases in Scotland were identified in Lanarkshire, as well as two in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde areas.

Two cases in Nottingham and Essex have been linked to travel to southern Africa.

The third person confirmed to have the new variant is no longer in the UK, but had visited Westminster.

Early evidence suggests Omicron has a higher re-infection risk than previous variants, but it is not yet known how it impacts the effectiveness of vaccines.

Boosters should be offered to over-18s to help stop a possible Covid wave driven by the Omicron variant, UK government advisers have said.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) wants the minimum gap between the second dose and booster to be cut to three months.

It said boosters should be given to the most vulnerable first.

The JCVI wants those aged 12-15 to be invited for a second jab three months after their first.

It recommended severely immunosuppressed people should be offered a fourth dose of the vaccine as a booster. They are currently receiving three jabs.

In a statement Health Minister Eluned Morgan backed the advice.

"All individuals who are eligible for a booster will automatically receive an invitation to attend an appointment when it is their turn," she said, adding that there will be a "significant number of vaccination appointments issuing over the coming weeks".

Recent Covid figures in Wales show a continuing downward trend, with cases at 490 per 100,000 people over the past seven days.

Nine more deaths were reported on Monday, bringing the total to 6,391.

There were 567 patients with Covid in hospital beds in Wales on Friday, down from 653 the previous week, with 47 patients being ventilated in critical care beds - down from 57.

Ms Sturgeon and Mr Drakeford wrote to the prime minister on Monday calling for an emergency Cobra meeting as soon as possible.

"The emergence of Omicron poses a potential threat to the UK," they said.

"We need to work collectively - and effectively - as four nations to take all reasonable steps to control the ingress of the virus to the country and then to limit its spread."

They said the day eight PCR test for travellers arriving in the UK should be reinstated, "requiring isolation for that whole period".

The pair also called for business support schemes to be funded by the UK government's Treasury "in the event more interventionist measures are required".

"We do not want to be in a position again where our public health interventions are negatively impacted by a lack of financial support, but can be switched on as required for England," they said.

Downing Street responded saying it does not have plans to introduce the requirement for passengers to take a PCR test on day eight as well as day two on their return to the UK.

The prime minister's spokesman said: "We believe the approach we've taken is the proportionate one to the evidence we currently have available.

"Introducing further isolation and testing requirements would have a detrimental effect on the travel industry and those planning to go travelling."

He added ministers were not planning to change their approach with regards to the furlough scheme either.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan told BBC Radio Cymru's Dros Frecwast programme that ministers would discuss whether Wales will need stricter measures "over the next few days", including whether to close schools earlier for Christmas.

Mark Drakeford later said that there are no plans to close businesses - despite the call for financial support from the Treasury.

He said people should approach Christmas "in the way that we've advised all the way through".

"Christmas should be different this year. Christmas should be better this year.

"That doesn't mean that people should neglect those simple things that we can do in our own lives, that still help to protect ourselves and others.

"Those simple precautions: think about vulnerable people, if members of your family are particularly likely to suffer from coronavirus - think carefully about whether you visit them or involve them in your plans.

"Take a lateral flow test if you're going to visit somewhere where you might be at risk or others are at risk wear masks in crowded public places."

Dr Atherton said it is a "matter of buying time" with the new variant, saying it was a case of when not if the variant will be identified.

"Our best line of defence against this still is vaccines and social distancing, those things that we know keep us safe because they can reduce the transmission of this new variant in the community whilst we understand the implications of it."

"My expectation is that this will probably take off, we will see cases in Wales - we haven't seen any yet but I do expect us to see cases, they will probably increase.

"And my anxiety is also about January and February next year, because it does take time for these things to take off."

"The Omicron variant does give us further cause for concern and the reason for that is that there's so much that's unknown.

"We don't know whether it will lead to more harm than the Delta variety and if it does then hospital rates could go up. So we just need to be cautious for the moment, not to throw caution to the wind".

Ten countries in southern Africa are now on the UK's travel red list, meaning that until further notice, any British or Irish residents arriving in the UK after recently visiting any of those countries will have to quarantine in an approved hotel for 10 days.

Residents from the countries themselves will not be allowed into the UK until the red list status changes.

Under new measures, which came into force at 04:00 GMT, everyone entering the UK from abroad must take a PCR test and isolate, pending a negative result.

Masks will also be made compulsory again in shops and on public transport in England.

Face coverings are already mandatory in shops, health and social care settings and on public transport in Wales.