Boris Johnson tightens rules on travel and mask-wearing over Omicron concerns

Travellers to UK must take PCR tests and masks to be made mandatory in shops and on public transport

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Boris Johnson has announced fresh measures to curb the spread of coronavirus including mandatory masks in shops and PCR tests for travellers entering England after two cases of the Omicron variant were detected in the country.

Amid mounting global concern over Omicron, named a variant of concern" by the World Health Organization on Friday, the prime minister set out a series of steps the UK is taking to maximise its defence against Covid-19.