Thread by @Telegraph

🔴NOW: Boris Johnson outlines the Government's Covid-19 winter plan in a Downing Street press conference

Watch live here 👇

Boris Johnson has started setting out his plan for the coming winter, urging people to cast their minds back to last year.

➡️In one way, he says it is "more challenging". But in other respects, the country is "incomparably better placed to fight the disease"

🔴Boris Johnson then goes through the Plan B, which includes vaccine passports.

🗣️"It is just not sensible to rule this option out now, when it might make the difference between keeping venues open or not"

Follow live updates here ⬇️

telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/…

💉The Prime Minister says the UK will now begin "motoring ahead" with the booster programme.

"Covid is still out there," he adds, but stresses he is confident about the prospects for recovery

🗣️"Stark difference"

Chris Whitty says there is a 'stark difference' in mortality rates among those who are vaccinated

Follow live updates here ⬇️

telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/…

Prof Chris Whitty then compares the current rates of cases, noting that at this time last year "we were only beginning to get the take-off" that led to a massive peak.

📈This year, we are entering the winter period with far higher cases

❌"You don't need a medical degree to know that autumn and winter is when we are disadvantaged," Chris Whitty says.

Follow live updates: telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/…

🔴Mr Johnson then turns to questions from the public.

The first question is about what threshold must be passed in order for extra restrictions to be imposed.

🗣️Boris Johnson says "just bare in mind what we are trying to prevent - the overwhelming of the NHS"

The Prime Minister notes there are "all sorts of things in the locker" which would not necessarily be used at the same time

🔴Follow live updates: telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/…

💉Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, says the most significant improvement would be for everyone to get vaccinated who has not done so far

🗣️"The UK is taking a sensible, third, middle way"

Chris Whitty says "everyone agrees" that vaccines should be sent to other countries as it is both a moral and practical imperative.

➡️But there is some waning of immunity that means a third dose is sensible

The next question is about the threat of new variants.

❌Prof Chris Whitty says the #Delta variant is "a very bad variant" and could lead to a situation where Plan B could be triggered on its own

🗣️"Were there to be a variant that was both transmissible and escape from the vaccines, that would put us in a new situation," Chris Whitty adds.

Follow live updates here ⬇️

telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/…

❓The trio are also asked about why working from home isn't a firmer recommendation.

💻Boris Johnson says working in an office is good, but if it is needed working from home will be reintroduced under Plan B.

Follow the latest updates: telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/…

And that's it for another day...

🔴As usual Boris Johnson was the more positive voice between Sir Patrick Vallance and Prof Chris Whitty, but the latter two gave stark enough warnings