Covid-19: No need to cancel Christmas parties and call for pre-arrival testing

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Wednesday evening. We'll have another update for you tomorrow morning.

There is no need to call off Christmas parties despite the emergence of the Omicron variant, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said. However, he added that people should consider measures such as taking a lateral flow test or wearing face masks when socialising - and he also urged people to get a booster jab. However, some NHS trusts have asked staff "not to mix in big groups" in the run-up to Christmas to "set an example", NHS providers has said.

Amidst all the disagreements about the best course of action heading into this Christmas, the prime minister has been quizzed over allegations Downing Street held Christmas parties last year in breach of lockdown rules. Asked at PMQs about the reports in the Mirror newspaper, Boris Johnson did not deny parties had taken place - but said no Covid rules were broken. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the PM of hypocrisy for flouting the rules he had set for everyone else at the time.

Pre-departure Covid testing for travellers returning to the UK would be "valuable", the government's Sage scientific advisory committee has said. Current rules only require people to self-isolate until they have received a negative Covid PCR test taken within 48 hours of arriving. But, in the minutes of a meeting held on Monday and seen by the BBC, Sage scientists say this policy will "identify significantly fewer cases" than extra tests on days five or eight.

The Co-op has become the latest supermarket chain to say it will not enforce new mask wearing rules to avoid staff being abused by customers. The face-covering requirement was brought back in on Tuesday after concerns about the Omicron coronavirus variant. Supermarkets are taking a light touch approach with Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Iceland also not challenging customers, while industry body the British Retail Consortium has said it is up to police to enforce the rule.

The BBC's health correspondent Philippa Roxby has been answering readers' questions about the new Omicron variant of Covid-19. She addresses questions about how dangerous it is according to the evidence we have so far, how people can know if they have Omicron or a different strain of the virus, why we aren't vaccinating children under 12, and more. Read more here.

Get a longer daily news briefing from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning, by signing up here.

Just how risky is going to your office Christmas do? Our health editor Michelle Roberts has taken a look here.

You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.

What questions do you have about coronavirus?

In some cases, your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.

Use this form to ask your question: