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'We can be quite confident it's Omicron'

Possible cases to be determined by UK lab

The health minister says they can be 'quite confident' two possible cases of Omicron identified on the Island are in fact the Covid-19 variant of concern.

The samples have been sent across to a UK lab for confirmation, a process that may take up to ten days.

Meanwhile, the people in which the variant was possibly identified, and their entire households, have to isolate for ten days.

Lawrie Hooper says the tests must go across to be 'absolutely sure':

'If we can do some of this stuff on-Island, and it doesn't detract from some of the quality standards that are in place, then maybe it is something we need to think about again.'

The health minister was asked why, with a turn-around time of up to ten days, the samples were being sent to the UK for whole genome sequencing and this process wasn't being done on-Island:

Omicron 'almost certainly' here.

Government came under some criticism for reporting the possible cases without confirmation from the UK lab.

But Chief Minister Alfred Cannan says it would have been a dereliction of duty not to report them:

Director of Public Health Dr Henrietta Ewart, speaking after the two possible cases were identified, said 'initial evidence shows a vaccine booster could stop around 75% of people developing symptoms if they catch Omicron.'

Booster vaccines are now available for over-45s on the Island.

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