Covid: All of the new Covid restrictions Boris Johnson announced including work from home guidance, extra face mask requirements and Covid passports for sports matches, clubs and more

Boris Johnson addressed the nation from 10 Downing Street yesterday evening.

He announced the imminent introduction of Plan B restrictions including advise for people to work from home in a bid to reduce the spread of the Omicron variant.

From Monday, you should work from home ‘if you can', the PM said.

Facemasks will be required in cinemas and theatres from Friday.

The PM announced that Covid passport restrictions will be introduced for indoor venues such as nightclubs – and large outdoor venues, such as sports events.

This measure will be introduced from Wednesday (December 15), to give businesses time to adapt.

The strain was first identified in South Africa – but has since been found in all four nations in the UK.

The first case of Omicron was confirmed in Portsmouth today.

The press conference will be on BBC and Sky News, as well as other news channels.

Vaccine boosters are now open to all people aged 40 and over – and the gap between second jab and third have been cut to three months from six months.

It comes as Mr Johnson apologised after footage emerged of his former spokesperson joking about a Christmas party held at 10 Downing Street on December 18, 2020 – while the country was put under strict tier restrictions.

Leaked minutes of a Sage meeting held on Tuesday said the Government should ‘urgently’ consider the need for measures to reduce transmission of the virus and protect the NHS from “unsustainable pressure”, the BBC reported.

The peak of the Omicron wave is “highly likely to be higher” than 1,000 to 2,000 variant- related admissions per day without new rules, the document said.

The UK Health Security Agency said 568 cases of Omicron have been confirmed, up 131 since Tuesday’s figure.

Portsmouth City Council also confirmed the first case of the variant in the city – it came days after Basingstoke and Southampton also confirmed cases.

We will bring you all the latest on the announcement this evening.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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