Queen Elizabeth II to skip Christmas trip amid omicron surge

LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II has decided not to spend Christmas at the royal Sandringham estate in eastern England amid concerns about the fast-spreading omicron variant. The palace said Monday that the 95-year-old queen will spend the holidays at Windsor Castle, west of London, where she has stayed for most of the pandemic. Other members of the royal family are expected to visit over the Christmas period, with precautions taken against spreading the virus. Coronavirus infections are surging in Britain — up 60% in just a week — as omicron has replaced delta as the dominant coronavirus variant. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said more new restrictions may have to be introduced to slow the spread.