Shutdown Britain

record 745,183 booster shots were delivered; nProfessor Whitty warned Britain could face on-off Covid curbs for another 18 months; nMinisters refused to comment on claims that Britain’s first Omicron death involved an anti-vaxxer in his 70s; nThe World Health Organisation said people did not need to ‘cancel Christmas’ because of Omicron; nThe Queen cancelled a preChristmas lunch at Windsor Castle as a ‘precaution’. nFrance announced a ban on UK tourists.

Yesterday, No 10 defended Professor Whitty, saying he was a ‘hugely respected and trusted public servant who provides independent evidence-based advice’.

And in an interview, Mr Johnson denied he was orchestrating a ‘lockdown by stealth’ to slow the spread of Omicron. ‘If you want to do something, if you want to go to an event or a party, then the sensible thing to do... is to get a test and to make sure that you’re being cautious,’ he said.

‘But we’re not saying that we want to cancel stuff, we’re not locking stuff down.’ But addressing MPs yesterday, Professor Whitty repeated his warning to people to ‘prioritise’ social contacts – and defended his right to speak out.

‘This is advice that I think any chief medical officer would have given, and I don’t actually think that any minister is feeling I am treading on their toes on this one,’ he said.

A string of other government advisers also issued fresh warnings about Omicron.

Professor Stephen Reicher, who sits on a sub-committee of the Government’s scientific committee Sage, called for an immediate mini-lockdown.

He told Times Radio: ‘I do think that we do need a shortterm circuit-breaker... to ensure that we can be in a position that at Christmas itself we can enjoy Christmas.’

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade body UKHospitality, warned that many firms ‘simply will not survive’ another Christmas write-off without financial aid.