Boris Johnson orders return of masks as Omicron variant reaches UK

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland said they intend to mirror the border restrictions

Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a media briefing in Downing Street, London (Hollie Adams/PA)

Boris Johnson has ordered the return of mandatory mask-wearing in shops and on public transport in the UK, and for contacts of Omicron cases to self-isolate, even if they are vaccinated, after the concerning variant was detected in Britain.

All international arrivals will have to take a PCR test by the end of their second day in the UK, as the British Prime Minister prepared to reimpose measures to control the spread of coronavirus over fears the new strain could evade existing vaccines.