Revellers could not wait to get into the Christmas spirit on Saturday night despite experts' warnings the risk of getting infected by the Omicron Covid wave is already 'high'.
In scenes reminiscent of pre-Covid times, Britons took to the streets of cities including Birmingham, London and Leeds to celebrate the run up to Christmas as the UK recorded another 26 Omicron cases today.
Pictures showed jubilant Britons decked out festive fancy dress, including partygoers dressed as Christmas elves, Santa Claus, Christmas crackers and angels, as they braced the icy temperatures to enjoy a boozy night out amid concerns of the Omicron super-mutant variant spreading.
Ministers have moved to calm fears of the holiday being marred by tough restrictions again this year, with Boris Johnson insisting that he wanted Britons to enjoy Christmas as 'normally as possible'.
But Professor Peter Openshaw, one of No10's scientific advisers, broke ranks, saying he 'wouldn't feel safe' going to a party.
He said the chances of getting infected at a festive gathering were already 'too high' before the emergence of the super-mutant variant.
And Britain's pubs and restaurants earlier this week lashed out at the Government's 'catastrophic' 48 hours of mixed messaging as firms call off Christmas parties and cancel bookings at hospitality venues across the country.
Meanwhile, NHS bosses revealed Britain's accelerated booster programme to protect against the Omicron Covid variant will not start for Top Site Info another nine days, with pressure mounting on the goal to reach all adults by the end of January.
LONDON: Revellers got into the Christmas spirit early on Saturday night despite experts' warnings the risk of getting infected by the Omicron Covid wave is 'high'
BIRMINGHAM: In scenes reminiscent of pre-Covid times, Britons took to the streets of cities including London and Leeds to celebrate the run up to Christmas as the UK recorded another 26 Omicron cases today
LONDON: Pictures showed jubilant Britons (pictured in Soho) bracing the icy temperatures to enjoy a boozy night out amid concerns of the Omicron super-mutant variant spreading
LEEDS: Eager partygoers did not seem deterred by the stormy weather that hit the northern city on Saturday night, as they headed out in the rain for a boozy night out
LEEDS: Pictures showed jubilant Britons decked out festive fancy dress, including people dressed as Christmas elves, Santa Claus and angels, on Saturday night
Ministers have moved to calm fears of the holiday being marred by tough restrictions again this year.
Pictured: Leeds locals head out in the rain as they get into the Christmas spirit early this year
Boris Johnson has insisted that he wanted Britons to enjoy Christmas as 'normally as possible'. Pictured: A reveller uses a plastic bag to shelter under in Leeds as stormy weather hit the city
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said that all adults should become eligible for Top Site Info boosters three months after their second dose вЂ" bringing down the wait time from six months.
But the booking service for the jabs is yet to be updated and adults who received their jab three months ago could be forced to wait until December 13 to organise their third dose.
Ministers set a target of dishing out 500,000 doses a day to reach its January goal, but if capacity is not ramped up until mid-December this will not be achieved until February 8 at the current pace of the rollout.
Experts are hopeful No10's 'booster programme on steroids' will help prevent Britain's rising Omicron infections translating into severe disease, hospitalisations and deaths.
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