Britons rush to get shots in booster blitz against omicron

By JILL LAWLESS and DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Long lines have formed for booster shots across England as the U.K. government urged all adults to get them to protect themselves against the omicron variant. The British government and also reported the country’s first death involving the omicron variant. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said everyone 18 and up would be offered a third vaccine dose by Dec. 31 to help withstand a coronavirus “tidal wave” driven by the variant. That’s a full month earlier than the previous target. About 10 people are in U.K. hospitals with omicron, and Johnson on Monday reported the country’s first death involving the variant. Health authorities say omicron is likely to replace delta as the dominant strain in the U.K. within days.