Sajid Javid says UK ‘in a race between the vaccine and the virus’

Sajid Javid told Sky News that "we’re in a race between the vaccine and the virus" amid rising cases of the omicron variant in the UK.

The health secretary said that cases of Omicron are growing at a "phenomenal rate", which is why the government is expanding the booster programme "to a level never seen before in this country".

Mr Javid said: "We are going to have even more vaccination centres, we are going to open them seven days a week for at least 12 hours a day - some for perhaps 24 hours".

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