Prognosis

Johnson Says U.K. Can Ride Out Covid Wave Without Tighter Rules

U.K. registering record Covid cases, driven by omicron variant
Critical workers to get daily lateral flow tests from Jan. 10

Boris Johnson speaks during a Covid-19 briefing in London, on Jan. 4.Photographer: Jack Hill/WPA Pool/Getty Images

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By Alex Morales and Kitty Donaldson

January 4, 2022 at 6:25 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Boris Johnson said the U.K. can weather a record wave of Covid-19 sweeping the country without tighter restrictions, even as he warned the National Health Service is under growing strain.

A record 218,724 new cases of the virus were reported on Tuesday, driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant, and the prime minister warned that the weeks ahead will be “challenging” for the U.K.