Omicron variant detected in Jersey

Thursday 16 December 2021

“Fewer than five” people in Jersey have been officially confirmed as having the omicron variant of covid – and that number is expected to rapidly increase in the coming weeks.

Deputy Medical Officer of Health Dr Ivan Muscat MBE said this afternoon that health officials had already expected the variant to be on the island, so the news had not come as a shock.

He said they expected to see “more and more” in the coming days and weeks, as experienced by other jurisdictions. In the UK, the number is doubling every two to three days.

Anyone who tests positive for the omicron variant, or anyone who is a direct contact of someone who is, must isolate for 10 days. Due to the “increased risk”, these individuals will not be allowed outside for two hours’ daily exercise.

Whereas contact tracing normally only covers contacts for the past five days, confirmed omicron cases will be asked to identify their contacts over a 10-day period.

As with other covid direct contacts, they will also be provided with a set of daily lateral flow tests (LFTs).

While Dr Muscat said early indications suggested that the severity of disease with omicron appeared to be less than the delta variant, he said that there was a lack of certainty around the variant which is why a cautious approach was being taken.

“The LFTs should still pick up omicron because the bit of the covid virus that has mutated does not affect the target that lateral flow tests aim for… So we do feel that we can continue to rely on lateral flow tests to help us manage covid,” Dr Muscat explained.

However, Director of Testing and Tracing Rachel Williams nonetheless urged all islanders experiencing symptoms of illness to book a PCR test.

Pictured: Anyone with symptoms of illness is urged to book a PCR test.

Dr Muscat said that 10% of all positive test samples, and those of the direct contacts of all confirmed omicron cases, are sent for sequencing to identify whether the omicron variant is present. Express has asked the Government whether there are plans to increase this number, or develop an on-island sequencing provision, and is awaiting a reply.

While Dr Muscat said the Government was “still learning” about omicron, he said that, “what we also know is that the current vaccine is effective against omicron but to a lesser extent, and only really if you have the booster on board.”

With the booster, the vaccine is 70 to 75% effective, he said. “The single most important message… in light of omicron is, ‘Please get your booster if you haven’t already and you’re eligible for it because it offers the best protection we currently have against omicron.’”

Booster vaccine appointments were opened up to all eligible islanders yesterday in response to predictions that Jersey will see a “large” wave in the early part of next year.

The Government also announced that, from 4 January: 

• work from home guidance will return;
• mask wearing will become compulsory by law;
• the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ will change to only apply to those who have had three doses of the covid vaccine plus two weeks;
• the ‘recently recovered’ rule – whereby arrivals did not need to be tested if they could prove they had had covid within 11 to 90 days of travelling to Jersey – will be suspended from 4 January.