The Chief Minister says there are currently no plans to introduce restrictions to curb the spread of the Omicron variant, as there are still no known cases in Jersey.

It comes after Boris Johnson announced that 'Covid passes' proving someone's been vaccinated would be needed to enter some venues in the UK, and people there will have to work at home again from next week.

Following the UK's announcement, Ministers in Jersey met last night to discuss whether steps should be taken and ultimately decided against it.

Senator John Le Fondré says the risk Omicron poses here remains low, and Jersey needs to act based on its own Covid situation, rather than acting prematurely just because changes are made elsewhere.

"At present, there are no detected cases of the Omicron variant in the Island, our hospital capacity and resilience remain high, and there has been a steady decrease in the total number of active cases over the past days.

As a result, Ministers have taken the decision not to implement any additional restrictive measures at this stage. We must continue to act based on our own COVID position and clinical evidence, and not act prematurely based on changes in other jurisdictions.

Ministers will continue to monitor the situation closely over the coming days, and will take appropriate action if we anticipate a significant rise in cases or hospitalisation."

The Chief Minister went on to say that vaccination remains the island's 'best defence' against the coronavirus, and called for anyone who is yet to receive the jab to come forward. He says 'it's not too late to start protecting yourself and others'.