A woman wears a face mask as she walks in Covent Garden market in London, Dec. 16. AP-YonhapSoaring Omicron cases left Britons scrambling Thursday to make alternative Christmas plans, faced with cancellations, long queues for vaccines and France shutting the border to U.K. visitors. People stand outside a restaurant in the area of Soho in London, Dec. 16. The sudden announcement sparked anxiety and even panic among would-be travelers scrambling to cross the Channel in time for Christmas. People queue to receive COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses, as the spread of COVID-19 continues, at a walk-in vaccination center at Saint Thomas' Hospital in London, Dec. 15.

Source: The Times December 17, 2021 14:40 UTC