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Boris Johnson: "Look at the intensive care units and the miserable, unnecessary suffering"
Photo: GEOFF PUGH / AFP
Despite the huge increase in the corona numbers in Great Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is optimistic in his New Year's message.
"Our position as of December 31 is incomparably better than last year," said Johnson in a video clip released on Friday.
The reason is the successful vaccination campaign, with which 70 percent of adults received a booster vaccination.
This has allowed the country to achieve the greatest economic growth in the G7 group and "to remain the most open economy and society of the major European economies," said Johnson.
Because of the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant, the British government recently reintroduced some corona rules in England.
However, unlike the regional governments in other British parts of the country, it primarily relies on personal responsibility.
On Thursday, the authorities reported another daily record with almost 190,000 new infections nationwide.
Over the holidays, however, the population's motivation to get vaccinated has obviously suffered.
As the umbrella organization of the NHS health service announced, up to 40 percent did not make their appointment.
Johnson especially called on the unvaccinated to get vaccinated.
"The people who think the disease can't harm them should look at the ones who have to go to the hospital: it could be you," Johnson said.
"Look at the intensive care units and the miserable, unnecessary suffering of those who didn't get their booster vaccinations: it could be you."
Johnson in crisis
The spread of the omicron variant is far from the only challenge Johnson has to deal with.
The British Prime Minister is going through what is possibly the most difficult phase of his term in office these days:
Johnson is under pressure because of a Christmas party last year.
In his own Conservative Party, too, displeasure with the head of government has recently increased.
Brexit Minister David Frost recently resigned with immediate effect.
The reason he cited was disappointment with the government's course.
More and more Brexit supporters in the population seem dissatisfied with this (read more here).
asa / dpa