This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60467183
The article has changed 16 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Covid: PM sets out end of legal restrictions in England | Covid: PM sets out end of legal restrictions in England |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| All Covid restrictions will end in England on Thursday and free mass lateral flow testing will stop on 1 April, Boris Johnson has said. | All Covid restrictions will end in England on Thursday and free mass lateral flow testing will stop on 1 April, Boris Johnson has said. |
| The prime minister told the Commons the legal requirement to self-isolate for those who tested positive would be dropped. | |
| From 1 April, he said the provision of free rapid testing would be targeted to certain sections of the population. | From 1 April, he said the provision of free rapid testing would be targeted to certain sections of the population. |
| The £500 isolation payment for people on low incomes will also end this week. | The £500 isolation payment for people on low incomes will also end this week. |
| But Covid provisions for increased statutory sick pay would apply for a further month, Mr Johnson told MPs. | But Covid provisions for increased statutory sick pay would apply for a further month, Mr Johnson told MPs. |
| He said the efforts the country had made over the past two years meant it was now ready to move away from government restrictions and to a position of personal responsibility. | He said the efforts the country had made over the past two years meant it was now ready to move away from government restrictions and to a position of personal responsibility. |
| "Covid will not suddenly disappear so those who would wait for a total end to this war before lifting the remaining regulations would be restricting the liberties of the British people for a long time to come", Mr Johnson said. | |
| "This government does not believe that this is right or necessary. Restrictions pose a heavy toll on our economy, our society, our mental well-being and on the life chances of our children, and we do not need to pay that heavy cost any longer." | |
| What is changing in England? | |
| From 21 February: the government is dropping guidance for staff and students in most education and childcare settings to undertake twice weekly asymptomatic testing | |
| From Thursday 24 February: people who test positive for Covid will no longer be legally required to self-isolate | |
| Also from Thursday: fully vaccinated close contacts and those aged under 18 will no longer be legally required to test daily for seven days | |
| From 1 April: Free mass lateral flow testing for symptomatic and asymptomatic people will end | |
| From 1 April: People with Covid symptoms will be asked to exercise personal responsibility when deciding whether to stay at home, until then they are still advised to do so | |
| Mr Johnson said: "It's only because levels of immunity are so high and deaths are now - if anything - below where you would normally expect for this time of year that we can lift these restrictions. | |
| "It's only because we know Omicron is less severe that testing for Omicron on the colossal scale we've been doing is much less important and much less valuable in preventing serious illness." | |
| Free lateral flow tests for symptomatic older people and the most vulnerable groups would still be provided, the PM said, and ministers would work with retailers to ensure everyone who wanted a test could buy one. | |
| Mr Johnson said "targeted vaccines and treatments" would be in place for the most vulnerable, and to "guard against a possible resurgence of the virus" the government would accept the recommendation of the UK's vaccine advisory body that an additional Covid booster vaccination should be offered to all adults over the age of 75 and the most vulnerable over-12s this spring. | |
| He added the government's Sage scientists advised there was "considerable uncertainty about the future path of pandemic" and warned there could be "significant resurgences" of the virus. | |
| "They are certain there will be new variants and it is very possible they will be worse than Omicron," he added. | |
| The government would "maintain our resilience to manage and respond to these risks" including by keeping the Office for National Statistics infection surveillance survey to keep track of surges when they happen. | |
| Plan B measures - introduced in December to stem the spread of the Omicron variant - including the requirement to wear masks in public places and the use of Covid passes for large events, were abolished in England last month. But face masks are still mandatory on London's transport network. |