UK to give $1.3 billion in aid to businesses hurt by omicron

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Britain has announced $1.3 billion in grants and other aid to help the hospitality industry survive the onslaught of the omicron variant of COVID-19. The government on Tuesday bowed to days of pressure from pubs, restaurants and other businesses that have seen income plunge following public health warnings. Businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors in England will be eligible for one-time grants of up to 6,000 pounds each. An additional 100 million will be given to local governments to support businesses in their areas hit by the sudden spike in COVID-19 infections driven by the highly transmissible new variant.