Covid 'storm clouds' are gathering over Europe so get your vaccine booster, PM urges

12 November 2021, 15:55 | Updated: 12 November 2021, 19:35

Boris Johnson has said he can see "the storm clouds" gathering over parts of Europe as Covid cases rise on the continent, and urged people to get their boosters.

The Prime Minister said he had to be "frank" that "we've been here before" referring to the rising number of coronavirus cases across Europe.

On Friday evening, the Netherlands announced it was going to impose a partial lockdown as Covid cases rise there.

Restaurants and shops will shut early and spectators are to be stopped from attending big sports events. The restrictions are due to last for three weeks.

Mr Johnson urged anyone eligible to get their Covid booster vaccine as soon as they can, warning of "the potential risks" the UK faces if the rollout is too slow.

His comments come after the Netherlands and Austria announced new lockdown rules today as Covid cases rise.

Speaking today the Prime Minister said: "I'm seeing the storm clouds gathering over parts of the European continent and I've got to be absolutely frank with people, we've been here before and we remember what happened when a wave starts rolling in.

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"The UK has built up a huge amount of protection thanks to the vaccine rollout and people's amazing willingness to come forward and get jabbed.

"What I'm saying today is the urgency of getting that booster jab is more evident than ever.

"If you can get it, it's a great thing, the levels of protection it gives you are terrific so over 50s we're now calling forward, they should come and get it.

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"What I'm also saying is if we don't do it fast enough we can see the potential risks to the state of the pandemic in what's happening in other parts of Europe."

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A total of 11,823,643 extra doses of vaccine have now been delivered across the country, according to Government data.

This is the equivalent of 25.7 per cent of everyone in the UK who has previously received a first and second dose.

The Prime Minister's comments come after it was announced that unvaccinated citizens in the upper Austria province could face another lockdown from Monday after record infections were reported across the country.