In response to omicron – which it is feared could evade vaccines – the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is on course to approve booster jabs for all adults within days, opening up the programme to 13 million 18 to 39-year-olds.

The committee is also likely to reduce the gap between second jabs and boosters, in order to speed up the pace of the rollout, and to back second doses for 12 to 15-year-olds.

Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, said that families should keep planning for Christmas as normal and that the country was “nowhere near” adopting tougher lockdown restrictions. In other Covid news:

Charles to witness birth of Barbados as republic

The Prince of Wales is to “reaffirm” the “admiration and affection” between Barbados and Britain as he visits the Caribbean island to watch it become a republic. Prince Charles will tell the people of Barbados it is “important” to him to join them for a ceremony to replace the Queen as Head of State. In a speech to be delivered at the ceremony tonight, the Prince will emphasise the “myriad connections” between the two countries, and their common goals as members of the Commonwealth. Royal Correspondent Hannah Furness reports from Bridgetown as the Prince touched down on the island this morning. Meanwhile, a BBC documentary is to resuscitate allegations the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not receive enough support while in the Royal family.

Drinkers snowed in at a pub for three nights

They must have thought they had died and gone to heaven. For three nights, drinkers at the Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest pub, have been trapped inside with food, drink – and an Oasis tribute band. The pub’s manager said the 60-odd guests and staff had become one “big happy family” after being cut off by huge snow drifts since Friday evening. Chief Reporter Robert Mendick learns how they survived Storm Arwen.

Daily dose of Matt

View Matt‘s latest cartoon from the weekend in which he images the unintended consequence of Christmas lights switch-ons.

Also in the news: Today’s other headlines

Iran nuclear threat | The UK and Israel’s foreign ministers today declare they will work “night and day” to stop Iran getting a nuclear weapon as they sign a “historic” 10-year plan for deepening ties. Under the agreement, which will be signed today, the countries will work more closely on cyber security, technology development, defence, trade and science. Read a joint article for The Telegraph by Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, and Yair Lapid, the Israeli foreign affairs minister.

Around the world: ‘Unelectable’ Harris could be moved

Democrats desperately scrambling to find a potential successor to Joe Biden in 2024 are whispering about a potential nuclear option, which could see vice-president Kamala Harris nominated to the Supreme Court. While the scenario is highly improbable, and perhaps a reflection of a Washington rumour mill in overdrive, the fact it has come up at all shows the depths of the predicament the Biden administration finds itself in. Rozina Sabur reports on the discussions behind the scenes.