Boris Johnson has announced a further rollout of the Covid booster jab to combat the Omicron variant.

Speaking from Downing Street the Prime Minister said he planned to offer everyone eligible for a booster jab a dose by the end of January 2022.

Mr Johnson called the press conference following the introduction of restrictions implemented to try and control the spread of the Omicron variant, such as the mandatory wearing of face masks in shops and on public transport.

Joining him for the briefing were Health Secretary Sajid Javid and CEO of NHS England, Amanda Pritchard.

Covid booster rollout

Mr Johnson spoke of his desire to offer everyone eligible for a booster jab a dose by the end of January 2022.

This will be done in five-year age bands, and the Prime Minister asked people to not try and get their booster until they got their email from the NHS.

He also asked people to encourage their friends and family to get the booster when their time came.

READ MORE: Omicron variant: where have cases been found?

Another lockdown unlikely

Mr Johnson also confirmed that another lockdown was "unlikely" but he wouldn't rule out in its entirety Plan B measures to help the NHS out if it was under unsustainable pressure.

Plan B measures would also involve the population using vaccine passports, as well as having mandatory face coverings.

Number of Omicron cases

Sajid Javid confirmed there are 13 cases of the Omicron variant in England and nine in Scotland which was expected to rise.

The Health Secretary also added that booster jabs provide a much higher antibody response than the primary course.

Whilst the Government do not have full picture of the effectiveness of the vaccines against Omicron Javid reiterated that it was important to get "as many jabs in arms as possible" in an attempt to slow the spread.

Temporary vaccination centres

Mr Johnson said England will have more than 1500 community pharmacy sites to accommodate for the booster rollout.

He added: “There’ll be temporary vaccination centres popping up like Christmas trees and we’ll deploy at least 400 military personnel to assist the efforts of our NHS, alongside of course the fantastic jabs army of volunteers.

“I know the frustration that we all feel with this Omicron variant, the sense of exhaustion that we could be going through all this all over again.

“But today I want to stress this, today that’s the wrong thing to feel because today our position is and always will be immeasurably better than it was a year ago.

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