UK health secretary: no need to call off Christmas parties despite Omicron
December 2, 2021, 1:39 am

UK health secretary: no need to call off Christmas parties despite Omicron

UK-Huddersfield-Train station/Pixabay

The BBC reported that the UK health secretary has said, there is no need to call off Christmas parties despite the emergence of the Omicron variant, as he urged people to get a booster jab to fight Covid.

Sajid Javid said people should consider measures such as taking Covid tests or wearing face masks when socialising.

But NHS Providers said some NHS trusts had asked staff "not to mix in big groups" in the run-up to Christmas.

Christmas tree/Pixabay

The BBC mentioned that this comes amid an expansion of the booster vaccination rollout.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, told Sky News some trusts were setting an example by making that request to staff because of the "potential threat to their health and what they will be available to do".

The BBC noted that the booster jab programme was expanded amid concern that the Omicron variant of coronavirus may spread more quickly and make vaccines less effective.

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”