Boris Johnson has urged people to get tested before going out to “enjoy” New Year’s Eve, despite the health secretary, Sajid Javid, warning that there would be a two-week shortage of lateral flow tests during a record rise of Covid-19 infections.
Three Britons share how they plan to bring in the new year, with some going out to celebrate and others staying home to self-isolate.
‘My son came back from school with Covid so we’re self-isolating until 5 January’
“My son came back from school with Covid symptoms at the end of term,” said Daniel Lewis in Pontypridd, Wales who is self-isolating until 5 January after a positive PCR test.
Lewis, 36, said he, his wife, and two children, four months and three years old, started self-isolating at the end of the school term in the hope of meeting people over Christmas. “We were going to visit my mother-in-law who is quite vulnerable but unfortunately I started getting symptoms not long after school finished,” he said.
Lewis, the founder and CEO of a cybersecurity company, said he received his booster at the beginning of December and feels as if he has a “heavy cold” with “sinus pain and a blocked nose”. He and his wife have tested using lateral flow (LFTs) and PCR tests, but only he tested positive despite his wife having similar symptoms.
“I’m concerned that lateral flows are not a good indicator of positivity of the Omicron variant. I took four LFTs prior to my PCR test, and all were negative, whereas my PCR was positive. I’ve taken two LFTs since my PCR and they have also been negative.
“I think the current policy in both England and Wales relies on LFTs a little too much and I fear that lots of people are going to be going out on New Year’s Eve, spreading Omicron, because they’ve had a negative result. In our household, we will just be putting our two small children to bed as normal, and hoping that the fireworks don’t disturb them.”
‘Everyone’s desperate to get out and enjoy themselves’
Kath, 57, a cleaner from Folkestone, plans to spend New Year’s Eve dancing at a roller disco. “Normally, on New Year’s Eve I tend to go to bed early, get woken up by fireworks, then get up early for work. I’m quite boring. But this year I’m meeting up with some friends who are roller skaters.
“There are some roller discos in London that run until 1am, but this isn’t quite that intense – it’s only an hour and a half, but we always enjoy it.”
Kath’s plans have been unaffected by the rise in Omicron cases in England. The disco company will ask customers to wear masks in and out of the venue, but not on the dancefloor. “We trust each other,” said Kath. “There have been no incidents of people getting ill so far. We did wonder if the disco would be cancelled, but there are actually more people going than we expected. I think everyone’s desperate to get out and enjoy themselves.
“Omicron hasn’t been a concern for me when going out. I’m vaccinated and boosted. My son had Covid in January, and despite being in the same house, I was fine. I realise many people haven’t been that lucky, and the government hasn’t done a good job [during the pandemic]. But I don’t want to be frightened by it.”
‘Hopefully it will be a joyful night’
Katy McDowall, a junior doctor working at Northampton general hospital, has postponed her New Year’s Eve dinner with friends to work the night shift on the labour ward.
“Like rotas all over the country, ours has been devastated by Covid recently. This new year, shifts have been covered and changed again multiple times. I was aware for some time that it was likely I’d have to fill in.”
McDowall, who is 58 and continuing her speciality training in obstetrics and gynaecology after a career break, expects the shift to be “hectic, but full of positivity”.
“We’re OK for PPE, but staff have been hit by a lack of access to lateral flow tests while testing at home.”
Despite the pressures, McDowall looks forward to the shift. “I have done new year shifts in the past, and it’s serious work, but it’s a special time,” she said. “Parents are excited to know whether their babies will be born in 2021 or 2022, and take enormous pride in having the first babies of the year. Hopefully it will be a joyful night.”