London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 30, 2025

Yousaf: 'Act as if new Covid variant already here'

Yousaf: 'Act as if new Covid variant already here'

Scotland's health secretary has said people should act as if the new Covid variant Omicron is "already here" after two cases were detected in England.

The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed cases in Chelmsford, Essex, and in Nottingham.

Humza Yousaf said it was a "stark reminder that we must not drop our guard".

He said the Scottish government would do "everything we can to minimise the risk of spreading infection".

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted that "we all have a part to play in beating this new threat".

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said earlier the cases were linked to travel in southern Africa and they and their households were self-isolating while more tests and contact tracing took place.

Following a meeting with Mr Javid and the other devolved administrations, Mr Yousaf said Scotland had agreed to align with new UK travel restrictions.

Fully vaccinated arrivals will need to take a PCR test within two days and to self-isolate until a negative result is received.


Scotland "reserves the right to go further if necessary", Mr Yousaf said.

"No cases have yet been detected in Scotland, but the fact this new variant is on our doorstep is clearly a worry and we should act as though it is already here," he said.

Four more African countries - Angola, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi - will be added to Scotland's red list of high risk countries from 04:00 on Sunday.

The new Omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on Wednesday and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

It has been described as highly mutated, and there is preliminary evidence it increases the chances of reinfection, although a fuller understanding of its risks could take several weeks.

Countries around the world are introducing travel bans and restrictions on southern African countries in an effort to contain Omicron's spread.

All people arriving in Scotland who have visited a red list country in the previous 10 days must now go into managed quarantine and take two PCR tests during their isolation.

All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.

"We're concerned, of course we are," Mr Yousaf told BBC Scotland. "But we shouldn't panic. It's right to take precautionary measures.

"If there's one thing for certain we know about the virus is you have to act quickly, decisively, in the face of a new variant, so that's what we're doing, but we're working with other global partners to learn as much as we possibly can.

"We are accelerating our booster campaign because we know just how effective the vaccine is against the dominant strain [Delta]."

'Redouble our efforts'


Mr Yousaf said people in Scotland had "been amazing in doing everything possible to get cases down, to protect ourselves, each other and the NHS, and in taking up the offer of a vaccine".

He said: "We must now redouble our efforts to follow the basic rules that have served us well so far in the pandemic - wear a face covering on public transport and in all indoor settings for food and retail; open windows especially if you have people visiting at home; keep washing your hands regularly and thoroughly.

"Work from home where possible, take regular lateral flow tests and behave sensibly. If you have symptoms, self-isolate and take a test."

He also urged people to get vaccinated and for those over 40 to book a booster jab six months after their second dose.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told a news briefing the UK government would make masks mandatory in shops and on public transport in England.

There will be no change to rules on face coverings in Scotland, where masks have continued to be required in indoor public settings.


Humza Yousaf: It's right to take precautionary measures to combat the new coronavirus variant


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×