LONDON (BLOOMBERG) - The British government is taking a "balanced approach" towards protecting the public from Covid-19 and will not consider making vaccines mandatory, said Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab in an interview on Sky News.

The government announced on Saturday (Dec 4) night that Covid-19 tests would now be required for anyone entering the UK regardless of vaccine status, as it looks to stem the spread of the Omicron variant, which has now infected almost 200 people in the UK.

That comes after the government last week began requiring a PCR test within two days of returning to the country.

Mr Raab said he understood that the new measures were a "heavy burden" on the travel industry, but were necessary to stop Omicron, which is rapidly spreading across the globe.

When pressed on the high numbers of non-vaccinated people requiring hospitalisation and contributing to delays in other health services, he said requiring vaccines as has been done in Austria was not the right approach.

"I don't think it will be to say that everyone compulsorily has to have a vaccine," he said.

Mr Raab also said corporate Christmas parties can go ahead, but that employers should use "common sense discretion" to make sure attendees are not exposed to Covid-19.