9 in 10 in intensive care have NOT had boosters

NINE in ten intensive care patients have not had boosters and Omicron is ‘obviously milder’ than previous variants, the PM said yesterday.

Boris Johnson added that overall admissions are eight times higher in the unvaccinated. As a record 183,037 cases were recorded in the UK, he said boosters were the ‘only reason’ further lockdowns were not yet required.

Weekly cases are up by 41 per cent, and Omicron now makes up more than 90 per cent of infections. But the proportion of cases leading to hospital admissions is around seven times lower than in last January’s peak. Deaths remain low, with 57 recorded yesterday.

There are currently 10,462 in hospital with Covid in England. But the number of patients on ventilators has remained flat.

It currently stands at 771 in England – less than this time last month. Speaking in Milton Keynes, the PM said: ‘We are seeing cases rising in hospitals.

‘The overwhelming majority of people who are currently ending up in intensive care in our hospitals are people who are not boosted. And I’ve talked to doctors who say the numbers are running up to 90 per cent of people in intensive care who are not boosted. If you’re not vaccinated, you’re eight times more likely to get to the hospital altogether.’

■ Ministers are considering scrapping pre-return Covid traveller tests next week.

Current rules say one lateral flow swab must be taken within 72 hours of travelling to the UK along with a more costly PCR test within two days of arrival. Travellers must also self-isolate at home until results are back.