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Coronavirus Pandemic

“Major incident” declared by the Mayor of London due to the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

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Sadiq Khan said Omicron is now the “dominant variant” in London and was having an impact on staff absences in the emergency services across the city.

He said London was the UK region with the largest number of Covid cases.

Latest government data shows there are 1,534 Covid patients in London hospitals – up 28.6% on last week.

Mr Khan said in the last 24 hours, London had seen the largest number of new cases since the coronavirus pandemic began – more than 26,000.

He added: “Hospital admissions are going up, but also staff absences are going up by a massive level.

“So I’ve taken the decision in consultation with our partners to declare a major incident today.”

Major incidents have previously been called in response to the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 and the terror attacks at Westminster Bridge and London Bridge.

A major incident is any emergency which requires the implementation of special arrangements by one or all of the emergency services, the NHS or the local authority.

It means the emergency services and hospitals cannot guarantee their normal level of response.

Mr Khan also declared a major incident on 8 January due to the rapid spread of Covid-19 and its impact on the health service.

It was in place until 26 February as case numbers in the capital fell.

Making the announcement on Saturday, Mr Khan said: “The really bad news is those in hospital – the vast, vast majority are unvaccinated that’s why it is so important to get both the vaccines and the booster jab.

“Londoners will notice over the course of the next few days even more places across the city offering both the vaccines and the booster.

“What we can’t afford to see is even more of our crucial key workers going off sick because they have this virus.”

Mr Khan’s comments came as Wembley Stadium, Stamford Bridge and The Valley were all set up as mass vaccination centres.

Oxford Street will also have a vaccination bus and Mr Khan urged people who were eligible to get a booster jab and for others to make sure they were vaccinated.

He said: “It is still the case that in some pockets of London there are black Londoners, there are Muslim Londoners, there are Jewish Londoners, there are Eastern European Londoners, who still haven’t had a vaccine.

“So reaching out to those communities…to explain why the vaccine is important and to make sure nobody is left behind, we are making sure more Londoners get the first dose.”

Latest government figures show 2.7m Londoners have received their booster jab.

Georgia Gould, chair of London Councils, said: “The rapid spread of Omicron across our city is of huge concern.

“Local councils have stepped up and played a vital role in supporting their communities through the pandemic. I know they will continue with these efforts, but we cannot do this alone.”

The mayor’s decision was announced as Cabinet ministers were set to be briefed on the latest Covid data.

Omicron is now thought to be the dominant Covid variant in England and Scotland, replacing Delta.

On Friday, the UK saw another record number of daily Covid cases for the third consecutive day, with more than 93,000 infections confirmed.

But there were also a record 861,306 booster and third dose vaccine jabs administered – the highest daily total so far.

Planning your travel to London?

Before you travel to London, please make sure that you have all necessary covid vaccines taken. Travel responsibly and safe. Keep checking our website and news, Covid section to keep up-to date with the latest travel advisory for travel to London and the UK.

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Coronavirus London Latest Information and Advice

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Coronavirus London Latest Information and Advice

29 March: What’s changed

Some of the rules on what you can and cannot do changed on 29 March. However, many restrictions remain in place. You must not socialise indoors with anyone you do not live with or have formed a support bubble with. You should continue to work from home if you can and minimise the number of journeys you make where possible. You should get a test and follow the stay at home guidance if you have COVID-19 symptoms.

You can read the “COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021 (roadmap)” for more information on roadmap out of lockdown in England. It is underpinned by law.

From 29 March:

  • you can meet outdoors either in a group of 6 (from any number of households), or in a group of any size from up to 2 households (a household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible)
  • you can take part in formally organised outdoor sports with any number of people (outdoor sports venues and facilities will be able to reopen)
  • childcare and supervised activities are allowed outdoors for all children
  • formally organised parent and child groups can take place outdoors for up to 15 attendees. Children under 5 will not be counted in this number

Keeping yourself and others safe

You should stay 2 metres apart from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings) if you cannot stay 2 metres apart.

You should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times, including if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

You should follow this guidance in full to limit the transmission of COVID-19. It is underpinned by law.

Face coverings

You must wear a face covering in many indoor settings, such as shops and places of worship, and on public transport, unless you are exempt. This is the law. Read guidance on face coverings.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable
If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you should continue to follow the guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable. From 1 April, you will no longer be advised to shield. However, you should continue to take precautions to protect yourself.

If you have been vaccinated against COVID-19

To help protect yourself and your friends, family, and community you should continue to follow all of the guidance on this page even if you’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The vaccines have been shown to reduce the likelihood of severe illness in most people. Like all medicines, no vaccine is completely effective, so those who have received the vaccine should continue to take recommended precautions to avoid infection.

We do not know by how much the vaccine stops COVID-19 from spreading. Even if you have been vaccinated, you could still spread COVID-19 to others.

Meeting family and friends indoors

You must not meet indoors with anybody you do not live with or have formed a support bubble with (if you are eligible), or another legal exemption applies.

Meeting friends and family outdoors (rule of 6)

You can meet up outdoors with friends and family you do not live with, either:

  • in a group of up to 6 from any number of households (children of all ages count towards the limit of 6)
  • in a group of any size from up to two households (each household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible)

If you’re in a support bubble

If you are eligible to form a support bubble, you and your support bubble count as one household towards the limit of 2 households when meeting others outdoors. This means, for example, that you and your support bubble can meet with another household, even if the group is more than 6 people.

Where you can meet

You can meet in a group of 6 or a larger group of any size from up to 2 households (including their support bubbles) outdoors. This includes private outdoor spaces, such as gardens, and other outdoor public places and venues that remain open. These include the following:

  • parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, forests
  • public and botanical gardens
  • the grounds of a heritage site
  • outdoor sculpture parks
  • allotments
  • public playgrounds
  • outdoor sports venues and facilities

If you need to enter through a house to get to a garden or other outside space and there is no alternative access, you should wear a face covering, wash or sanitise your hands when entering, and then go straight to the outside space. If you need to use the bathroom, wash your hands thoroughly and go back outside immediately. You should maintain social distancing from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble.

When you can meet with more people or meet indoors

Gatherings above the limit of 6 people or 2 households, or gatherings indoors, can only take place if they are permitted by an exception. These exceptions are listed on this page.

Where a group includes someone covered by an exception (for example, someone who is working or volunteering), they are not generally counted as part of the gatherings limit. This means, for example, a tradesperson can go into a household without breaking the limit if they are there for work, and the officiant at a wedding would not count towards the limit.

Travelling to England from outside the UK

All visitors to London, England are subject to the coronavirus restriction rules.

All those planning to travel to London should follow the guidance on entering the UK. Before travelling to the UK, you must complete a passenger locator form and have proof of a negative COVID-19 test, unless you are exempt.

All arrivals will need to take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on day 2 and day 8 of quarantining. Arrivals must book a travel test package. See the guidance on how to quarantine when you arrive in England.

You cannot travel to the UK if you’ve visited or passed through a country where travel to the UK is banned in the last 10 days, unless you’re:

  • a British national
  • an Irish national
  • anyone with residence rights in the UK

Everyone allowed to enter England who has visited or passed through a country where travel to the UK is banned in the last 10 days must:

  • quarantine for 10 days in a managed quarantine hotel
  • take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8 of quarantining, the tests are included in the hotel package
  • follow the guidance on this page

See the guidance on booking and staying in a quarantine hotel when you arrive in England

Check out the London Tour Packages here.

Advice for visitors and foreign nationals in England

Foreign nationals are subject to the national restrictions.

If you are visiting the UK, you may return home. You should check whether there are any restrictions in place at your destination.

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London Tourists Attractions and Restaurants are Opening – COVID-19

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From 4th July London is opening its doors to tourists. Many see the move as caution. Many still think it’s the right move. We all need to make sure that we take all the right precautions while moving around within London or coming to London for holidays, tourism, and family meetings after more than 3 months of COVID-19 lockdown. London will never be the same, as some say. But we need to support our businesses and kick-start the tourism economy with caution.

london-attractions-are-opening
London Attractions are Opening

London tourist Attractions Opened and opening up – 10th July 2020

London’s top attractions are allowed to open their gates to tourists from around the world and within the UK. Despite the new ruling, some of the attractions are still closed namely The British Museum, National History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and Science Museum.

The National Gallery opened on the 8th of July, the Tower of London on the 10th of July, and Tate Britain and Modern will open on the 27th of July. Each one of London’s attractions has to follow strict pandemic rules and make sure all the places are sanitised and every public entrant needs to be thermally tested before entering the premises.

Londoners are urged to become Tourists – Sadiq Khan

Londoners are urged by the government (Sadiq Khan) to become tourists in their own city to support COVID-19 recovery. The city has been massively hit by the pandemic. And everyone dreads a long painful recovery for local businesses. Experts are contemplating a slow tourism recovery, as many nations are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. European countries have somewhat recovered from the pandemic, but we all need to be cautious and start travelling responsibly. London locals are allowed to move around the city without any restrictions and are asked by the government to visit London’s beautiful sites.

London restaurants are opening post covid
London restaurants are opening post COVID-19

Restaurants Now Open in London – 10th July 2020

Many restaurants have opened up in the city of London, and all have been extra cautious and doing what they can to maintain hygiene and serve the city. The majority of them were functional partially by doing home delivery of the food. And now Londoners and tourists can enjoy going to restaurants as the rules have been recently relaxed. Following are some of the restaurants which have recently opened up in the city of London:

Romulo

This Filipino restaurant on High Street Kensington will reopen on July 10. 343 Kensington High Street, W8 6NW, romulocafe.co.uk

Dishoom

The popular Indian restaurant group will reopen its Carnaby, King’s Cross and Shoreditch locations on July 10, with Kensington following on July 24. For a limited time, it will allow diners to book in groups of up to six in the evenings. Various locations, dishoom.com

Allegra

Patrick Powell’s highly praised Stratford restaurant will return on July 10. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 20 International Way, E20 1FD, Allegra-restaurant.com

Da Terra

Rafael Cagalli’s two Michelin-starred restaurants in Bethnal Green will welcome guests from July 10. 8 Patriot Square, E2 9NF, daterra.co.uk

Seabird

The sky-high seafood restaurant at The Hoxton in Southwark will reopen on July 10. 40 Blackfriars Road, SE1 8NY, seabirdlondon.com

Gold

The popular Notting Hill Italian has said it plans to reopen on July 10 (bookings open on June 24). 95-97 Portobello Road, W11 2QB, goldnottinghill.com

Brigadiers, Bank

Indian barbecue, beer & whisky restaurant Brigadiers is now open for terrace dining Weds-Sat 12 pm-9.30 pm before the bar opens on 15 July, brigadierslondon.com

Goodman, Mayfair

Goodman steak restaurant reopens its flagship location so you can enjoy that Lake District grass-fed fillet once again, GoodmanMayfair.COM

Kitty Fisher’s, Mayfair

Kitty Fisher’s returns with an outside space, a few ground-floor tables and a takeaway to start. KittyFishers.com

Jamavar, Mayfair

This high-end Indian restaurant near Berkeley Square returns with its highly rated tasting dishes.JamavarRestaurants.com

Go out, enjoy the heart of London, and be safe and travel responsibly.

Note: You can book your COVID-19 test here

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Coronavirus Travel Advisory to and from the United Kingdom

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Coronavirus Travel Advisory to and from the United Kingdom

As the world is under the grips of a Pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID – 19). We would like to inform all the travellers to and from the United Kingdom to be extra cautious and do only necessary travels only. We know that we have people who have booked their travels to London. But we want all our customers and also people who are travelling to any country to be cautious. Specially airports, Any public gathering to be avoided.?

Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Symptoms of Coronavirus may appear in 2 to 14 days after the exposure to the virus. Following are the identified symptoms of Coronavirus. If you have been to China since Jan 2020, please do consult your nearby doctor for screening and health checkup.?

  1. Fever
  2. Cough
  3. Shortness of Breath
  4. Headache
  5. Sore Throat
  6. Impaired liver and kidney function
  7. Pneumonia
Sympotoms of Coronavirus and how it spreads
Symptoms of Coronavirus and how it spreads

Precautions to reduce the risk of Coronavirus Infections

Following are some of the ways you can reduce the risk of Coronavirus infection:

  1. Clean hands with germ free soap and water or alcohol based hand rub/sanitiser
  2. Cover nose and mouth with tissues or inside of below when coughing or sneezing
  3. Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms
  4. Thoroughly cook meat and eggs
  5. Avoid unprotected contact with live wild or famines animals.
How to reduce risk of coronavirus
How to reduce risk of coronavirus

Travel Advisory to the United Kingdom

Should I cancel or postpone my London Travel?

If you have travelled to China in the past few months, it’s recommended to get a health checkup done, before travelling to any other country. It’s recommended that you travel only if it’s very much a requirement like business travel. If you have booked your London tour, check with your travel agent if you should travel or postpone the travel. Make sure to avoid any contact with people who are sick at the airport.

mask usage coronavirus
Mask usage increased due to Coronavirus

What is the risk of getting Coronavirus COVID-19 on an Airplane?

Because of how air circulates and is filtered on aeroplanes, most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on aeroplanes. Although the risk of infection on an aeroplane is low, travellers should try to avoid contact with sick passengers and wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser that contains 60%-95% alcohol.

What happens if there is a sick passenger on a flight?

If you see anyone sick around you, inform the air hostess, and stewards to take necessary action and seat the sick person in isolation. Give your contact information to the airline staff. Once you land at any of the United Kingdom Airports example Heathrow airport, you and the sick passenger will be quarantined at Holiday Inn and will be kept in isolation and appropriately treated.

What if recently travelled to an area affected by Coronavirus COVID-19 and got Sick?

If you were in a country with a COVID-19 outbreak and feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, within 14 days after you left, you should

  • Seek medical advice – Call ahead before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room. Tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
  • Avoid contact with others.
  • Not travel on public transportation while sick.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to avoid spreading the virus to others.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains 60%? or 95% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Please be responsible for your own health and make sure to take all necessary precautions while travelling to London anywhere. Coronavirus has turned into a pandemic, it’s our duty to take care of our health, maintain social distancing, and wear masks in all public areas.

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