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From 4am on Tuesday, December 7, anyone wishing to travel to the UK must show proof of a negative PCR or LFD pre-departure test, taken no earlier than 48 hours before departure. This applies to vaccinated passengers and children aged 12 and above.

Nigeria will slo be added to the travel red list from 4am Monday, December 6, following 21 cases of Omicron reported in England which are linked to travel from this country, with 134 UK cases now reported in total.

New Government analysis indicates the window between infection and infectiousness may be shorter for the Omicron COVID variant, which increases the efficacy of pre-departure testing as it is more likely to identify positive cases before travel.

Airlines will be required to check for pre-departure tests alongside completed Passenger Locator Form, and passengers will not be allowed to board a flight without providing evidence of a negative test result.

Given the reduced incubation period of the Omicron variant, passengers are advised to take the pre-departure test as close as possible to their scheduled departure to the UK and no earlier than 48 hours before travelling.

The Government said these additional measures are vital to delay the import of additional cases and slow the rise in cases within the UK.

All temporary measures will be reviewed after three weeks to ensure that they remain necessary and proportionate, and this will take place on December 20.

Animal Protection Services is offering a reward of up to £1,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of people involved in badger baiting following an incident in Lincolnshire.

A badger was rescued by Lincolnshire Badger Group from a warehouse in Market Rasen, which had suffered injuries that were consistent with badger baiting.

Badger baiting is a form of blood sport that involves a dog being forced to fight with a badger.

Unfortunately, due the serious injuries sustained, the vet was forced to euthanise the badger.

Jacob Lloyd, a trustee of Animal Protection Services, said: “Badger baiting is a horrific cruel blood sport that affects the welfare of dogs and badgers.

“These wild animals will suffer immensely in the moments’ leading up to their deaths.

“This is a despicable crime that was made illegal in 1835. Despite it being illegal, we are hearing of more badger baiting cases than ever before.”

“We are offering a reward of up to £1,000 for information leading to a conviction of badger baiting.

“All of the information that is provided to us will be treated in the strictest confidence and any source may wish to remain anonymous.” 

Anyone with information should call Animal Protection Services on 020 4534 2786 or send information by email to [email protected].  

Unvaccinated women who suffered with COVID-19 during their pregnancies have told their harrowing stories of battling the virus, from being hospitalised to having emergency c-sections, as part of a new campaign encouraging expectant mothers to get the vaccine.

The video features three women who experienced serious complications after contracting COVID-19 before they’d been vaccinated, as well as the doctors and frontline staff who treated them, to warn of the dangers of the virus for pregnant women and their babies.

Medical expert Professor Asma Khalil from Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is also interviewed as part of the powerful new film and provides further reassurance on the importance of the vaccine.

Data published last week by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows the vaccines are safe for mothers and their babies, with good birth outcomes for vaccinated women who had their babies up to August this year.

There were no consistent differences between vaccinated women and all women in the figures for stillbirths, low baby birthweights and premature births.

Nearly 1 in 5 COVID-19 patients who are most critically ill are pregnant women who have not been vaccinated.

Of those pregnant women in hospital with symptomatic COVID-19, 98% are unvaccinated, and no fully vaccinated pregnant women were admitted to intensive care with COVID-19 in England between February and the end of September 2021.

Around 1 in 5 women who are hospitalised with the virus need to be delivered preterm to help them recover and 1 in 5 of their babies need care in the neonatal unit.

The women who feature in the new, short film have issued an urgent plea calling on expectant mothers to take up the vaccine as soon as possible to protect themselves and their babies.