People in Oxfordshire are being urged to come forward to get their booster jab to give themselves, their families, work colleagues and friends extra protection against the Omicron variant.

The variant now represents 95 per cent cent of Covid cases in Oxfordshire.

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Cases in Oxfordshire rose to 1,201 per 100,000 people in the week up to Christmas Eve – a 16 per cent rise on the week before. This represents 8,375 cases in total.

There has also been a significant increase in rates in those aged over 60 which is the age group most vulnerable to severe illness from Covd-19.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s director for public health, said: “People will have read or heard about the Omicron variant being milder, however it has to be stressed that this has not yet been categorically proven.

This is Oxfordshire: Ansaf AzharAnsaf Azhar (Image: PR)

What we do know is that people are far more likely to experience milder symptoms if they have had their booster jab.

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“During the week before Christmas and since, huge numbers of people have had their booster jab in Oxfordshire and that’s great news. However we also know that there are still people who qualify for that jab who have yet to come forward. My plea would be that they should do so as soon as possible."

Mr Azhar urged people to be cautious into the new year and the winter months ahead.

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