Boris Johnson has announced that everyone over the age of 18 will be offered booster jabs by the end of the year to curb the spread of omicron.
In a pre-recorded broadcast to the nation last night at 8pm, the PM moved the target for those who have received their second jabs at least three months ago forward from the end of January as he warned that “a tidal wave of omicron” was coming and that two jabs would not be enough to sufficiently protect people from the virus.
Some medical appointments may be postponed to focus on boosters, and the army is being used to boost the booster campaign too, he said.
“I’m afraid we’re now facing an emergency in our battle with the new variant omicron,” he said.
“It is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need. But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose, a booster dose, we can all bring our level of protection back up.”
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He added: “At this point our scientists cannot say that omicron is less severe.
“And even if that proved to be true, we already know it is so much more transmissible that a wave of omicron through a population that was not boosted would risk a level of hospitalisation that could overwhelm our NHS and lead sadly to very many deaths.”
Reacting to his speech, some people were just angry about the alleged Christmas parties that are said to have taken place last year while the country faced severe restrictions, and saw it as a distraction:
Extra scruffy Boris Johnson tries to distract the nation with a pre recoded message avoiding any scrutiny.
— Dawn Butler MP✊🏾💙 (@DawnButlerBrent) December 12, 2021
He has made the situation worse. He has no authority or credibility left.
Ps does he normally wear his wedding ring? Noticed he was hiding his hands and no ring. pic.twitter.com/LVAGLoLUQ4
The announcement that Johnson should be making at 8pm is that he and his entire Cabinet are resigning, calling a GE, and for a Police investigation into their own behaviour.
— 🔶Jonathan Banks🔶 💙Parliamentary spokes RNP (@Jonathan_MBanks) December 12, 2021
They questioned why it was pre-recorded with no questions from journalists and suspected he was dodging scrutiny:
Boris Johnson could easily have made this statement to Parliament tomorrow or called a press conference tonight so any announcements could be scrutinised by journalists instead. Telling that he chose to do neither.
— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) December 12, 2021
Problem for broadcasters who are expected to run the @BorisJohnson statement at 8pm, on boosters programme: there is no opportunity for live Q&A, so feels like PM running scared of scrutiny.
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) December 12, 2021
We don't have state run TV in UK, so will they have to give @Keir_Starmer equal airtime?
It does feel a little... odd... to be announcing this in an address to the nation on a Sunday night, rather than in Parliament and a press conference tomorrow. PM trying to look statesmanlike after a terrible few days/weeks? 🧐
— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) December 12, 2021
There's no need for a televised booster jabs announcement at 8pm on a Sunday. This is an attention-seeking attempt to repair the PM's image at the end of a disastrous week. At least do that on a weekday!
— CAL ROSCOW (@calroscow) December 12, 2021
My speech tonight will be pre-recorded, for the very good reason that I don't want to face any awkward questions from journalists.
— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) December 12, 2021
Plus I'm always off my tits on Bolly by 8pm.#DowningStreetBriefing
Others joked that he was hosting a Zoom quiz for the nation, in light of the latest Downing Street party allegation:
Pretty weird Boris statement. Not going to lie. pic.twitter.com/Wkt1fDfHhA
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) December 12, 2021
At level 4 not only do the questions get harder, but there's also a karaoke round.
— Sarah Hurst (@Life_Disrupted) December 12, 2021
Fair play to Boris if his speech tells us to swap sheets with the table next to us and goes through the answers in the picture round.
— Adam Kay in a manger (@amateuradam) December 12, 2021
Boris Johnson will address the nation at 8pm tonight after Covid threat raised from Level 3 to Level 4.
— Martin Stanley (@MStanleyBooks) December 12, 2021
This will be followed closely by cheese and nibbles and several rounds of quiz questions about the biggest scandals of the year.
Doctors, NHS staff and other experts in the healthcare field worried that his target is too ambitious and wishes he had given them advance notice:
Boris Johnson has given GPs twelve hours' notice that they need to vaccinate a million people a day from Monday morning.
— Dr Meenal Viz (@drmeenalviz) December 12, 2021
Boris saying everyone aged 18 and over will have a chance to book their vaccine before the new year - is this really going to be possible for those running NHS vaccine centres?
— Rebecca Thomas (@Rebeccasmt) December 12, 2021
I want it to work, I really, really do, but I’m not sure we can boost as fast as Omicron can spread - and that thought feels me with genuine fear for the weeks ahead.
— Sarah-Jane Marsh 💙 (@BWCHBoss) December 12, 2021
This morning please spare a thought for NHS staff who - at exactly the same time you did - found out last night from @BorisJohnson they’d be delivering 1 million boosters a day from… today.
— Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) December 13, 2021
Others noted that the advice to get booster jabs was good to curb the spread of the omicron variant.
Statesman-like intervention by @BorisJohnson on TV tonight. Such a relief not have to listen to @BBC going on about when is a Zoom pub quiz not a Zoom pub quiz.
— Lord Moylan (@danielmgmoylan) December 12, 2021
Let’s get booster offers rolled out at pace and put the nonsense behind us.
Get boosted. It may save your life or the life of a loved one. 💉 👊#omicron
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 12, 2021
Stained jacket, 4 year old schoolkids hair from the 70's, no wedding ring. He's a dick. But for once he's giving good advice. I've just been a bit sick in my mouth saying that. But. Please get the booster despite this. #Booster pic.twitter.com/1ZQt28YM9Y
— Mark Davies (@Greatnorthstrum) December 12, 2021
Of course, people were also divided about whether or not the government should be concerned about the variant and whether it was worth enforcing more restrictions to deal with it.
Some people were disappointed that the speech wasn’t his resignation, and others joked it could really have been an email instead.
All the nation wants to hear from @BorisJohnson at 8pm is his resignation.
— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) December 12, 2021
The PM clearly continues to be a marmite figure in politics.
