The UK government has been reluctant to reintroduce measures, but it has been left with no alternative. | POOL

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The UK government has announced that all people travelling into the UK will again have to take a PCR test (on the second day back) and self-isolate until they get a negative result. The government has made clear that it didn’t want to introduce this measure (and others) but that the new Omicron variant has forced its hand.

Anyone who comes into contact with a positive case of Omicron will have to self-isolate – even if they’ve had both vaccine doses. Two cases of Omicron have been confirmed.

The compulsory wearing of face coverings in shops and on public transport has been reintroduced in England.

Boris Johnson said on Saturday that more work was needed to determine how rapidly the variant spreads and how effective vaccines might be. The emphasis at present is on trying to stop cases entering the UK.