Boris Johnson is set to hold a press conference amid fears over the spread of the Omicron variant.

The prime minister will be speaking at a Downing Street conference at 5 pm as concerns are raised over new Covid-19 restrictions.

Mr Johnson will appear alongside Professor Christ Whitty, chief medical officer for England, as well as Dr Nikki Kanani, medical director of primary care for NHS England.

You will be able to tune into the Covid announcement via the UK Government’s Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Twitch channels.

What will Boris Johnson announce in tonight's press conference?

Latest Omicron cases update

The Prime Minister is likely to use the press conference to update the public on the latest Omicron figures.

This will come after the UK Health Security Agency figures revealed that the Omicron variant had overtaken Delta as the most dominant variant in London with other hot spots just days behind.

These figures are based on PCR tests at four Lighthouse laboratories, according to Sky News.

The data shows that across England 24 percent of cases with specimen dates of December 11 and 12 were likely to be due to Omicron.

Tory Rebellion over Covid Passes

Boris Johnson survived a massive rebellion from Tory MPs on December 14 over changes to Plan B laws. 

During Wednesday, December 15's Prime Minister's Questions, he defended the controversial plan that 96 Conservative MPs were listed as voting against the Covid pass regulations while 18 Labour MPs voted against.

The Prime Minister acknowledged there are “legitimate anxieties” about the impact on civil liberties over Covid Passes.

But he also insisted that the government's response to the Omicron variant was “balanced and proportionate and right”.

Mr Johnson added: “I respect and understand the legitimate anxieties colleagues have about restrictions on the liberty of the people but I believe the approach that we are taking is balanced and proportionate and right for this country.”

There was also an attempt to block the controversial plan for Covid passes in the House of Lords on Wednesday but it was heavily defeated.

Boris Johnson may refer to the failed motion which was rejected by 205 votes to 38, majority 167.

Downing Street Christmas Parties

Boris Johnson battled criticism again on Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday over the recent revelations of festivities at No. 10 last Christmas.

The Prime Minister came under fire from the opposition leader, Sir Keir Starmer, who said he did not believe Boris Johnson was unaware of “what was happening in his own house last Christmas”.

He added that "His MPs don’t believe him and nor do the British public."

Sir Starmer went on to comment about the Tory rebellion at the Plan B vote on Tuesday: "The only person undermining public confidence is sitting right there”, gesturing to the Prime Minister.

“His MPs are wrong to vote against basic public health measures, but they are not wrong to distrust him."

NHS Vaccination extension to all adults

Booking for a Covid booster was also extended to all adults on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister may discuss further plans to ramp up the vaccination programme amid fears of the spreading of the Omicron variant.

The programme has been extended to all over 18-year-olds and you are now eligible for your top-up booster three months after your second vaccine. 

The Prime Minister may provide further updates about the vaccine rollout. 

During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, he said: “We’ve done almost double the percentage of any other European country, we’ve boosted 86% of the over-80s in this country, 91% of the those aged 75 to 79, that is an astonishing achievement, and I think that is what the people of this country are focused on rather than the partisan trivia that he continually raises.”

Further Covid restrictions

Downing Street has insisted on Wednesday that there were “no plans” for more coronavirus restrictions in England.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It remains our position that there are no plans to go beyond what Parliament voted for yesterday and we already have in place.

“The focus for us, now that we have these Plan B measures in, is on the booster programme and further increasing the delivery of jabs into arms.”

Asked whether the increase in infections will derail the Government’s goal of offering jabs to all adults by the end of the year, the spokesman said “it remains an ambitious target” but “we remain on track, with numbers increasing day by day”.

However, Mr Johnson said during Prime Minister's Questions that further measures were possible.

He said: "Yes. If further measures are needed, as the House will understand, if further regulation is needed of course this House will have a further say."