If you live outside the UK

[zen1]

How is the government reacting to Omicron in your country? Is there a drive like there is here to give everyone over 18 a booster jab ASAP?
How often are you advised to carry out LFTs?
I’m just interested as our government seems to be in a complete panic.

spanish here but livin in the uk.
Still vaccinating 60+
Government encouraging no xmas partys
No LFTs carrying out as they're not being given for free anyway,
covid passport are equested in restaurants/gyms/clubs

I'm in Spain. People over 60 are getting boosters and they're considering extending that to over 50s at the moment. LFT guidance dependent on region - here's it's simply if you suspect you've been in contact with someone who has COVID, or if you're showing symptoms.

There's no 'panic' as far as I've seen.

Then again, we're not in quite the same position the UK is in. both in terms of cases and public sentiment about the virus and restrictions, so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison.

I live in the UK but am Swedish (parents still in Sweden) so am closely following the development if the covid/omicron situation over there.

They are definitely taking it vwry seriously and have introduced more restrictions in the last week. Avoid public transport unless for essential journeys, avoid crowded spaces, work from home and whole household isolation if a member tests positive. They also have a requirement for a covid pass in some venues.

Neighbouring Norway have the highest number of patients with covid in hospital since the beginning of the pandemic. They have introduced further measures with only 10 people being allowed to mix for Christmas.

Oh and most regions in Sweden are now taking booster bookings for anyone over 18.

Quite a few schools are moving to remote learning this week too.

I'm in France. There's a big push to give booster doses to everyone over 18 but not enough appointments for everyone. Over 65s who had their second dose more than 7 months ago will lose their COVID pass tomorrow if they haven't had a booster, the same will apply to over 18s starting Jan 15th.

Masks have always been required in enclosed spaces and are now required during PE and in the playground at school too.

Recommendation to work from home 2-3 days a week. Nightclubs closed last Friday.

No other restrictions beyond that, the govt know that nobody will listen so probably saving them up for after Christmas. Presidential elections are in March so they're treading a fine line and reluctant to do anything too unpopular.

It's so interesting to see how other countries handle things. So if Spain doesn't routinely use LFTs, how do you pick up positives? Do you just wait til you're ill? If they're not free, how much do you pay? I can see people wouldn't want to test willy nilly if you're having to fork out money!

I'm in Spain in Andalucía and masks are still obligatory indoors and at school. Vaccination has just opened for 9 to 11 year olds and people are advised not to have Christmas parties etc but I wouldn't say there is panic. LFTs aren't free and I don't know of anyone who does them. I personally have never had one or any kind of covid test actually. Almost everyone is vaccinated. They're still on 60+ for boosters I think.

@madisonbridges

This is why we cannot compare our covid rates with most other countries, we test asymptomatic people routinely here. Also we sequence more pcrs than any other country

" Is there a drive like there is here to give everyone over 18 a booster jab ASAP?"

Yes, those with more than 6 months since Pfeizer or Moderna or more than 4 months since AZ can book their boosters now. Plenty of appointments available.

"
How often are you advised to carry out LFTs?"

I have never been advised to carry out an LFT. I do know someone who was asked to do one and provided with a test by the parents of a child whose birthday his child was going to and I know people who've taken them when they had a cold, but were not a contact of anyone with Covid just in case.
Having been a contact at work, I was told I had to take a PCR.

I’m in Canada.
Boosters only for over 60s starting in January in my state (Quebec) but the government have now advised they would like to give it to all over 50s.
You can however get a booster if you have been double vaccinated with AZ, so I am going to get a booster today.
Canada has a high level of vaccinated people and have been vaccinating 11+ year olds from the beginning.
We also have Covid passports for all inside eating/drinking/venues/events etc, this has been in place for ages and mask wearing has always remained in place in all public indoor spaces. Compliance is very high.
Things currently feel ok, but everyone is watching for the numbers to start going up, we just hope they don’t change the rules, lots of people hoping to have family visit for Christmas and don’t want another lockdown.
I’m feeling really anxious as my sons are due to fly in from the UK at the weekend and I’m so worried they will catch Covid and not be able to come.

"we test asymptomatic people routinely here"

We also test asymptomatic people if they are a contact.

I don't know, like I say, I've never had a test and neither has DH or the kids, we've never been contacted as being a close contact with anyone. But until very recently our rates were very low.
If I had symptoms I would contact the doctor and if necessary they'd test me. You can buy them now but they aren't cheap.

LFT/antigen tests are not free in Ireland either unless you are a close contact and then the gov will send you out a box of 5 to do 3 tests over 5 days. Otherwise you are expected to buy them yourself in Lidl or the pharmacy. They cost from €3-€6 each so most people won’t bother buying them for routine testing.

Response to Omicron is starting to look more panicked too. Over 50’s eligible for boosters, and opening to over 40’s this week too I believe. Vaccination of 5-11 year olds approved and rolling out in the next couple of weeks.
Night clubs closed, Indoor events reduced to 50% capacity which has meant cancellation of loads of gigs pantos etc, back to WFH where possible, advised not to have kids parties etc or big indoor events, masks have remained in shops, secondary schools all along now introduced on primary schools for over 9’s

Forgot to mention LFTs. Here in France they aren't routinely used at home because they cost over €5 each. If you're vaccinated or under 18, you can have free LFTs taken at a pharmacy, or PCR at a medical lab centre. If you're over 18 and unvaccinated, you either need a prescription or you pay. Last week pupils in the first year of secondary were given a free box of 10 LFTs each and asked to test twice per week. Older children are eligible for the vaccine so weren't given any, and given case numbers in primary schools I think they've just given up for younger children.

Thanks for all the responses so far. It’s interesting to see how things are being managed elsewhere. I was also wondering if our rates are so high because of all the asymptomatic cases identified by LFTs.

Germany here. Big push to get everyone their boosters and kids between 5-12 years are starting to be vaccinated from tomorrow to help curb omicron. Currently lockdown for unvaccinated, and many places are 2g+ which means you're only allowed In (restaurants, cinemas, playgroups etc) if you're vaccinated or recently recovered with a negative test. We've just been told there will be no extra measures for now despite omicron but our numbers are sinking slowly now. Söder has opened things just for new years eve too but we do have a firework ban

So are people being encouraged to have boosters if it’s less than 6 months since your last one?

5 months wait for your booster here. So I have to wait until mid-January

My 18 year old had his 2nd dose vaccine in September, so I don’t feel right encouraging him to get it after such a short time.

They are reducing from 5 months to 3 in Ireland so vast majority will become eligible now or in next few weeks including 12- 18 year olds

UAE here. Adults are being offered boosters and children over twelve are offered two vaccinations. Masks are worn outside and indoors (unless rated in a restaurant)

@MayEye

They are reducing from 5 months to 3 in Ireland so vast majority will become eligible now or in next few weeks including 12- 18 year olds

They are reducing from 5 months to 3 in Ireland Yes, they've reduced it to 3 months in the uk too.

I read somewhere that some counties count a positive PCR test in the last 6 months as the same as a vaccine, but don’t know if that’s true or not, i.e if you have a vaccine then get COVID before your second shot, it still counts as you having had two doses.

[quote gogohm]@madisonbridges

This is why we cannot compare our covid rates with most other countries, we test asymptomatic people routinely here. Also we sequence more pcrs than any other country[/quote]
Bear in mind that the U.K. has a much narrower criteria for symptomatic testing than most other countries.

We might be doing a lot more LFTs but our PCR positivity rate is around 9-10% when it should be below 5% to ensure you are catching most cases. We probably have a lot more symptomatic cases wandering around because having cold symptoms in the U.K. doesn’t mean stay at home until you get the results of a PCR test.