for pcr tests have left some people waiting up to five days for their results, meaning they have had to alter christmas plans due to having to self-isolate until they receive a negative test. the uk health security agency apologises to those who have had to wait "a little longer" than usual. innsbruck airport refuses 110 britons entry into austria because they did not follow updated covid restrictions introduced on boxing day that require a negative pcr test 48 hours before travelling. a further 117,093 daily cases are reported for england, its highest number so far. figures for covid cases in wales over christmas are released, showing 12,378 cases were reported in the 48 hours up to boxing day. figures produced by aviation analytics company cirium indicate a 71% decrease in the number of international flights to and from the uk during 2021, with 406,060 international flights operated in 2021, compared with 1,399,170 in 2019. 29 december the uk reports 183,037 new covid cases, the largest number to date, although it is the first time data has been reported for the whole of the uk since 24 december. pharmacists are warning of patchy supplies of lateral flow tests following changes to self-isolation rules in england that allow anyone testing positive for covid to end their self-isolation after seven days (rather than ten) if they provide a negative test. scots are warned not to travel to england as a way of circumventing scotland's tighter covid rules that have seen new year celebrations cancelled north of the border. health secretary sajid javid criticises the welsh government's decision to ban outdoor mass exercise as disproportionate and unjustified after parkrun events were cancelled in wales. police appeal for information following the appearance of video footage of an anti-vaccination demonstration at a covid testing centre in milton keynes during which a woman is seen to apparently pick up medical equipment and papers from the facility then dump them in a bin. 30 december in anticipation of the possibility of an increase in hospitalisations because of the omicron variant, nhs england announce plans to set up covid "surge hubs" at eight hospital sites, each with capacity for 100 patients. building work will begin in january 2022, with sites being pinpointed for a further 4,000 beds. the trade unions representing doctors and nurses, the british medical association and royal college of nursing, have called for nhs staff to be prioritised for lateral flow covid tests. health secretary sajid javid says the uk government plans to triple the supply of lateral flow tests to 300 million per month by february 2021. the welsh government announces that wales will lend england four million lateral flow tests to help with the current shortage of tests being experienced by england. france suspends its travel restrictions for uk nationals, allowing them to travel through france if they are going to their home in another european union country. people with travel plans for new year's eve are being urged to alter them as rail strikes and covid isolations lead to reduced services on some lines. staff working for crosscountry have planned strike action for new year's eve leading to a limited service on its routes, while southern trains have suspended services to london victoria until 10 january 2022 due to what it describes as "coronavirus isolation and sickness". wales moves forward by several days its plans to cut the self-isolation period of anyone testing positive for covid from ten to seven days. a negative test will be required before the self-isolation period can be ended, with the changes coming into effect from new year's eve rather than 5 january 2022 as originally planned. northern ireland also announces a cut in the period from ten to seven days from new year's eve, with first minister paul givan describing the decision as one made to avoid a "workforce crisis". the technical advice cell, the scientific group which analyses data and advises the welsh government, advised a two-week post-christmas lockdown as the only way of reducing covid cases in a document published on 15 december, it is reported, then changed its mind two days later to recommend a four-week lockdown. ministers met the following day and announced that nightclubs would close. 31 december in his new year message, prime minister boris johnson says the situation is “incomparably better” than at the previous new year, but warns people to be cautious as they celebrate. the anti-covid drug paxlovid, which can cut hospitalisation in vulnerable people by as much as 89%, is approved for use in the uk. data produced by the uk health security agency suggests that a booster vaccine is 88% effective against requiring hospital treatment because of the omicron variant. although official events to celebrate new year were cancelled in london and edinburgh, crowds gather at both locations to welcome in 2022. london's fireworks display goes ahead as planned, but people are asked to stay away because of the risk of covid.