Covid: Omicron will reach Wales soon, says top doctor

It is only a matter of time before the Covid Omicron variant is seen in Wales, the chief medical officer has said.

Dr Frank Atherton confirmed there were no cases in Wales, but said it was a case of when, not if, the variant would be identified.

He said it was clear now there was transmission from southern Africa into Europe, and all we can do is try to limit the spread of the variant.

It comes as six Omicron cases were found in Scotland.

This takes the total to nine found in the UK so far.

Four of the cases in Scotland were identified in Lanarkshire, as well as two in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde areas.

Two English cases, in Nottingham and Essex, have been linked to travel to southern Africa.

The third person confirmed to have the new variant is no longer in the UK, but had visited Westminster.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Dr Atherton said: "It is a matter of buying time rather than stopping the transmission completely.

"We tried this in the past with the Delta variant when that first came out in India, we managed to delay it, we didn't stop it coming in.

"Our best line of defence against this still is vaccines and social distancing, those things that we know keep us safe because they can reduce the transmission of this new variant in the community whilst we understand the implications of it."

Dr Atherton said there needed to be understanding if this variant was more transmissible and if it was more virulent, because "we just don't know".

Dr Atherton said he was still optimistic Wales could have a better Christmas than last year - when there were strict rules regarding meeting other people - but things were finely balanced.

"It is important that we do the things that we know will keep us safe and, if we do those, and are respectful of the things which can keep us safe, then there is every chance that we can have a much better Christmas than last year," he said.

Dr Atherton said it was best to be cautious, which is why travel restrictions had been brought into place.

"It is a time to remind ourselves that there are things that can keep us safe, social distancing, reducing our contacts as much as possible, wearing face coverings where we are required to do that.

"Work from home wherever possible, all of those things will slow, they won't necessarily stop, but will slow down the spread of the virus and hopefully allow us to enjoy a better Christmas."

Ten countries in southern Africa are now on the UK's travel red list, meaning that until further notice, any British or Irish residents arriving in the UK after recently visiting any of those countries will have to quarantine in an approved hotel for 10 days.

Residents from the countries themselves will not be allowed into the UK until the red list status changes.

New measures put in place will require everyone entering Wales from abroad to take a PCR test and isolate pending a negative result.

The Welsh government said the emergence of the Omicron variant was a "serious development".

Early evidence suggests the Omicron variant - initially reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on Wednesday - has a higher re-infection risk.

On Monday, an urgent meeting of G7 health ministers is being held "to discuss the developments on Omicron", the UK's Department for Health and Social Care said.

Masks will be compulsory in shops and on public transport in England, and arrivals to the UK will have to take PCR tests from 04:00 GMT on Tuesday.

Face coverings are already mandatory in shops, health and social care settings and on public transport in Wales.