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News,05 Jan 2022,5 mins

Omicron - your questions answered

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The UK has seen Covid infections rise to unprecedented levels in recent weeks because of the Omicron variant. But, as early evidence suggested it would, this variant is causing milder illness, for now at least. Hospital admissions are on the up. However, Boris Johnson says England should stick with Plan B for a further three weeks - with a review before the regulations expire on 26 January. He says people in England should continue working from home wherever they can, wear face coverings on public transport, and also in most public indoor places. Critics say the government should go further with its measure as the NHS remains under severe pressure, in part due to the number of staff having to isolate. Covid testing rules are to be eased for people without symptoms - you'll no longer need to confirm a positive lateral flow test with a PCR. For 5 Minutes On, BBC Health and Science Correspondent, James Gallagher, and Jonny McGuigan from the BBC's Social Media team, answer some of your questions. Image Credit: Getty Images - BlackJack3D

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