Covid: Boris Johnson warns of rising infections in Europe and urges Brits to get booster jab

Will rising Covid cases in Europe impact the UK?

Boris Johnson has warned a new wave of Covid is coming to the UK from Eastern Europe.

The prime minister urged the public to get their booster jabs in order to combat the rise in cases being felt in other parts of the continent.

“We have got a situation now where there is no question that there is a wave of infection coming across Eastern Europe," Mr Johnson said while visiting a vaccination centre in a local pharmacy in Sidcup.

“We are seeing numbers rise in Germany very steeply.

“I am concerned about the Delta variant being passed between those who are vaccinated and indeed those who are double vaccinated.

“It is absolutely vital, if we are going to continue in the way that we are, that people get their boosters when they are called forward.”

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Mr Johnson believes “storm clouds” of a new coronavirus wave are gathering over parts of Europe.

He said: “I am seeing the storm clouds gathering over parts of the European continent.

“We have been here before and we remember what happens when a wave starts rolling in.

“The UK has built in a huge amount of protection thanks to the vaccine rollout and people’s willingness to come forward and get jabbed.

“The urgency of getting the booster jab is more evident than ever.”

In Germany, for example, their disease control centre, The Robert Koch Institute, said the infection rate had climbed to 263.7 new cases per 100,000 residents over seven days, up from 249.1 the previous day.

The latest available data for the UK shows cases, the seven day average to November 6, show there were 356.1 cases per 100,000 people.

The UK reported 40,375 new cases on Friday and 145 more deaths.

Germany reported 48,640 new cases on Friday, a day after the daily total topped 50,000 for the first time.

Another 191 deaths took Germany’s total so far to 97,389.

In Austria, the authorities are planning to impose lockdowns on the unvaccinated, due to the rise in cases there.