Johnson warns of tougher virus rules if cases surge

London, Sept. 15: Boris Johnson warned he could bring back compulsory masks, advise people to work from home and mandate the use of vaccine passports if a surge in Covid cases this winter threatens to overwhelm the UK’s National Health Service.

The British prime minister said he hopes a beefed-up vaccination programme starting next week — including booster shots for the

over-50s and vaccines for children as young as

12 — will be enough to keep the virus under control.

Under his winter plan published Tuesday, the government will also roll out the UK’s biggestever vaccination campaign against influenza — with free flu shots available to teenagers and all over-50s as well as vulnerable groups.

“Taken together, this can protect the gains we’ve made,” Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News on Wednesday, when asked why the government is not immediately introducing stricter measures. “The big difference — this is huge — is the vaccines. We know they are working.”

But in a televised Downing

Street news conference Tuesday, Johnson said further measures must be kept “in reserve” and that proof of vaccination in particular is “an important part of our repertoire.”

Though daily Covid infections remain relatively high — with 26,628 new cases reported Tuesday —the government regards current pressure on the NHS as manageable and

Johnson is keen to enter a new phase of the pandemic with more individual choice and freedom.

As part of this, the premier said he is considering “simplifying” the socalled

traffic light rules for international travel and wants to make “the burdens of testing less onerous for those who are coming back into the country.”