the uk s covid alert level has also been raised to level four, which means a high, or rising level of transmission. the booster target means people aged 18 and over in england will be able to get their third jabs from this week, as long as it has been three months since their second dose. those aged 30 and over can already book an appointment online. the prime minister said more than a0 teams from the miltary will be deployed to help with the vaccination effort. mobile units will be established and clinics opening hours will be extended with more appointments on offer. thousands more volunteer vaccinators are also going to be trained. but, nhs providers which represents hospitals and community services, has warned the service is already beyond full stretch and the intensified booster campaign will have an impact on other care provided.
and emergency departments. i think anotherfactor that we and emergency departments. i think another factor that we have to be put into the mix here is the incredible pressure that social care is under. and without effective social care, it s really difficult to discharge people from hospital, because they rely on that care in order to help them do that. and the booster campaign is really important in making sure that everyone who needs a vaccine gets one, and has that extra third jab of protection, so that they can continue to work. so if we have the front line social care staff affected by omicron, they won t be able to work, which of course puts huge pressure on. so it is complex, it is a big, logistical challenge. it really needs everyone to play their part, including the public coming forward for their boosters, and also showing even more understanding than they have shown to date about if they have to wait longer or have a procedure rescheduled.
remember that we are not starting from the same position that we were before. 89% of those over 12 in britain have had one dose, and 81% of those over 12 have had two already of the vaccine. to say it doesn t work at all is not true, in fact. it may give protection, but not as much as we had in the two doses for the delta variant. so, we are still in the learning part of the curve when it comes to how bad the curve when it comes to how bad the omicron variant will be. and we mustn tjump to conclusions or make statements that can t be fully validated by the facts. i statements that can t be fully validated by the facts.- statements that can t be fully validated by the facts. i am trying to decode some validated by the facts. i am trying to decode some of validated by the facts. i am trying to decode some of what - validated by the facts. i am trying to decode some of what you just. to decode some of what you just said. are you saying that you don t think this booster campaign is enou
the prime minister said more than a0 teams from the miltary will be deployed to help with the vaccination effort. mobile units will be established and clinics opening hours will be extended with more appointments on offer. thousands more volunteer vaccinators are also going to be trained. but, nhs providers which represents hospitals and community services, has warned the service is already beyond full stretch and the intensified booster campaign will have an impact on other care provided with some appointments postponed. from today, the government s work from home guidance for people in england has been re introduced. our first report is from our political correspondent, chris mason. the countdown to the new year might look rather like this. queueing for a booster. the prime minister wants to massively accelerate the delivery of vaccine shots, because. i m afraid we are now facing an emergency in our battle with the new variant omicron.
like immunisations, you have crossed a line which i think we would come to regret. we have to see all of these things in balance. the booster programme is absolutely right, other measures, we should look to see whether they might be effective, but there are some points of principle upon which i don t think people compromise. upon which i don t think people compromise- upon which i don t think people comromise. ., ., ., , compromise. doctor liam fox, we must leave it there. compromise. doctor liam fox, we must leave it there, good compromise. doctor liam fox, we must leave it there, good to compromise. doctor liam fox, we must leave it there, good to talk compromise. doctor liam fox, we must leave it there, good to talk to compromise. doctor liam fox, we must leave it there, good to talk to you. - and we ll be putting all your questions on the omicron variant and the booster campaign to the experts in your questions answered. you can get in touch on twitter using the hashtag