Britain’s health minister Sajid Javid said on Sunday he expected to receive advice imminently on whether the government can broaden a booster jab program to try to tackle the emergence of the newly identified Omicron coronavirus variant.

“The other thing that still remains hugely important, but I think it’s fair to say now more important than it was before, is our vaccination program,” Javid told Sky News.

“That is why I have also asked our expert advisers on vaccines called JCVI (the Joint Committee on Vaccination and immunization) to give me very quick advice on broadening, boosting our booster program and I expect to get that advice imminently.”

The discovery of Omicron, dubbed a 'variant of concern' last week by the World Health Organization, has sparked worries around the world that it could resist vaccinations and prolong the nearly two-year COVID-19 pandemic.

Britain has confirmed two cases of the new variant, and Javid said the new measures were needed to buy time for experts to try to understand more about Omicron, which may, or may not, make vaccines less effective.

"There is reason to think that it may, and I stress the word may..., turn out to make our vaccines less effective, it may not, we just don't know enough," he said.

"The point is the vaccines are still going to give you more protection than otherwise, that is why the booster programme is so important."

(Reuters)