While Australia is opening it’s borders and loosening restrictions, the UK is raising it’s covid threat level and implementing an emergency plan to rush out boosters. While some evidence from South Africa suggests Omicron is a more mild variant, epidemiologists are unconvinced it’s ok to let down our guards, saying it could still hospitalise and kill a lot of people if it’s more transmissible. And there are calls from one group of experts to bring Australia’s booster program into line with the UK’s, particularly in the lead up to Christmas and New Year celebrations.