Decisive early action key to suppressing Omicron variant | Letters

Des Senior calls for the government to immediately introduce basic measures to contain the new Covid variant, while Duncan McCallum would like to see a more coordinated global response

With regard to tackling the Omicron variant (Omicron variant spreads to Europe as UK announces countermeasures, 26 November), closing our borders buys us a little time, nothing more. So what are we going to do with it? Dithering with the current laissez-faire, herd immunity, business-as-usual policies will swiftly turn into a disaster. The government needs to introduce stringent infection-suppression measures now, not wait until it is too late as usual.

As a bare minimum we need green passes for all potential mass spreader events, mandatory mask wearing in all enclosed public spaces, and mandatory vaccination for all health, care, education and public-facing workers.