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| Covid: England ending isolation laws and mass free testing | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
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| Boris Johnson has announced the end of coronavirus restrictions in England | Boris Johnson has announced the end of coronavirus restrictions in England |
| All Covid restrictions will end in England on Thursday and free mass testing will stop from 1 April. | All Covid restrictions will end in England on Thursday and free mass testing will stop from 1 April. |
| The prime minister told MPs the legal duty to isolate for those who tested positive would be dropped as he unveiled his "living with Covid" plan. | The prime minister told MPs the legal duty to isolate for those who tested positive would be dropped as he unveiled his "living with Covid" plan. |
| From 1 April the provision of free testing would be targeted to the most vulnerable, Boris Johnson said. | From 1 April the provision of free testing would be targeted to the most vulnerable, Boris Johnson said. |
| 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 will apply for a further month, he told MPs. | But Covid provisions for increased statutory sick pay will apply for a further month, he told MPs. |
| Opposition parties said the PM's blueprint out of the pandemic had moved too fast and voiced concern over the scaling back of free testing. | Opposition parties said the PM's blueprint out of the pandemic had moved too fast and voiced concern over the scaling back of free testing. |
| One health leader said it would be too early to view Mr Johnson's living with Covid strategy as signalling a "permanent victory" over Covid. | One health leader said it would be too early to view Mr Johnson's living with Covid strategy as signalling a "permanent victory" over Covid. |
| What is England's 'Living with Covid' plan? | |
| Spring Covid booster for over-75s and high risk | |
| Businesses warn against end of free Covid tests | |
| The PM is leading a televised Downing Street news conference, joined by England's chief medical officer Prof Sir Chris Whitty, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK government's chief scientific adviser. | The PM is leading a televised Downing Street news conference, joined by England's chief medical officer Prof Sir Chris Whitty, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK government's chief scientific adviser. |
| Speaking on Monday evening, he said: "Today is not the day we can declare victory over Covid because this virus is not going away but it is the day when all the efforts of the last two years finally enable us to protect ourselves whilst restoring our liberties in full. | Speaking on Monday evening, he said: "Today is not the day we can declare victory over Covid because this virus is not going away but it is the day when all the efforts of the last two years finally enable us to protect ourselves whilst restoring our liberties in full. |
| "After two of the darkest, grimmest years in our peacetime history I do believe this is a moment of pride for our nation and a source of hope for all that we can achieve in the years to come." | "After two of the darkest, grimmest years in our peacetime history I do believe this is a moment of pride for our nation and a source of hope for all that we can achieve in the years to come." |
| He said the nation had passed the peak of Omicron, with falling cases and hospital admissions, and we could now complete the "transition back towards normality" while retaining contingencies to respond to a Covid resurgence or a new variant. | He said the nation had passed the peak of Omicron, with falling cases and hospital admissions, and we could now complete the "transition back towards normality" while retaining contingencies to respond to a Covid resurgence or a new variant. |
| The UK government would continue to work with the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as they decided how to take forward their own plans, he added. | The UK government would continue to work with the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as they decided how to take forward their own plans, he added. |
| Prof Whitty said the ending of virus restrictions was a "gradual, steady change over a period of time" as rates were declining, adding: "This is not a sudden everything stops." | |
| He said the number of people being infected with Omicron was still "very high". Office for National Statistics (ONS) infection figures last week estimated that one in 20 people in England have Covid. | |
| The public health advice would be for people with Covid to self-isolate to prevent others catching it, as would be the case for many other highly infectious diseases, he added. | |
| Sir Patrick warned the virus would continue to evolve over the next couple of years and there was no guarantee that future variants would be less severe than Omicron. | |
| He argued it was crucial the nation retained a virus surveillance system to monitor new threats and the capacity to "ramp up" measures again quickly to protect the vulnerable. | |
| What is changing in England? | 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 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: | From Thursday 24 February: |
| People who test positive for Covid will no longer be legally required to self-isolate | People who test positive for Covid will no longer be legally required to self-isolate |
| But they will still be advised to stay at home and avoid contact with others for at least five full days | But they will still be advised to stay at home and avoid contact with others for at least five full days |
| Routine contact tracing will end so fully vaccinated close contacts and those aged under 18 will no longer be legally required to test daily for seven days | Routine contact tracing will end so fully vaccinated close contacts and those aged under 18 will no longer be legally required to test daily for seven days |
| Self-isolation support payments for people on low incomes who test positive for Covid will no longer be available | Self-isolation support payments for people on low incomes who test positive for Covid will no longer be available |
| Covid provisions for increased statutory sick pay will apply for a further month | Covid provisions for increased statutory sick pay will apply for a further month |
| From 1 April: | From 1 April: |
| Free mass testing for symptomatic and asymptomatic for the general public will end and will instead be targeted towards the most vulnerable | Free mass testing for symptomatic and asymptomatic for the general public will end and will instead be targeted towards the most vulnerable |
| 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 | 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 |
| Current government guidance on Covid passports will end and it will no longer recommend venues use the NHS Covid pass | Current government guidance on Covid passports will end and it will no longer recommend venues use the NHS Covid pass |
| You can read more about the changes here | You can read more about the changes here |
| Earlier, Mr Johnson told MPs it was the time to move from government restrictions to people exercising personal responsibility. | Earlier, Mr Johnson told MPs it was the time to move from government restrictions to people exercising personal responsibility. |
| "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," he 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," he said. |
| "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." | "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." |
| Limited free lateral flow tests for 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. | Limited free lateral flow tests for 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. |
| To prevent the stockpiling of free lateral flow tests before 1 April, people will only be able to order a box of tests every three days instead of every 24 hours. | To prevent the stockpiling of free lateral flow tests before 1 April, people will only be able to order a box of tests every three days instead of every 24 hours. |
| Once tests are no longer free, ministers expect a market for lateral flow tests to develop, with individual tests expected to cost a few pounds. | Once tests are no longer free, ministers expect a market for lateral flow tests to develop, with individual tests expected to cost a few pounds. |
| The scaling back of testing comes after Mr Johnson previously told the BBC £2bn had been spent on the testing system in January alone. | The scaling back of testing comes after Mr Johnson previously told the BBC £2bn had been spent on the testing system in January alone. |
| Mr Johnson said "targeted vaccines and treatments" would be in place for the most vulnerable, and the government will follow the recommendation of the UK's vaccine advisory body to offer an additional booster jab to the over-75s and the most vulnerable over-12s this spring. | Mr Johnson said "targeted vaccines and treatments" would be in place for the most vulnerable, and the government will follow the recommendation of the UK's vaccine advisory body to offer an additional booster jab to the over-75s 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. | 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. | "They are certain there will be new variants and it is very possible they will be worse than Omicron," he added. |
| The government will "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. | The government will "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. |
| This is a significant scaling back on testing, going further than many health experts had been led to believe. | This is a significant scaling back on testing, going further than many health experts had been led to believe. |
| There will be no access to tests for anyone who does not have symptoms. | There will be no access to tests for anyone who does not have symptoms. |
| So the idea of getting rapid tests on prescription so people who are vulnerable can get family and friends to use them before visiting is not part of the plan. | So the idea of getting rapid tests on prescription so people who are vulnerable can get family and friends to use them before visiting is not part of the plan. |
| Instead, only those deemed at-risk or social care staff will get access to tests - and only then if they have symptoms. | Instead, only those deemed at-risk or social care staff will get access to tests - and only then if they have symptoms. |
| The at-risk group has not been defined, but is likely to be the most vulnerable who would benefit from antiviral treatments to reduce the risk of them needing hospital admission. | The at-risk group has not been defined, but is likely to be the most vulnerable who would benefit from antiviral treatments to reduce the risk of them needing hospital admission. |
| It appears a healthy 75-year-old would not be able to get tested even with symptoms. | It appears a healthy 75-year-old would not be able to get tested even with symptoms. |
| The big caveat is that the government will retain the ability to ramp testing back up if the circumstances demand it. | The big caveat is that the government will retain the ability to ramp testing back up if the circumstances demand it. |
| These changes will come in on 1 April and by that stage infection levels could be at very low rates. | These changes will come in on 1 April and by that stage infection levels could be at very low rates. |
| The scaling back may not seem that significant. | The scaling back may not seem that significant. |
| If infection rates are raging - considered unlikely - ministers could, of course, change approach. | If infection rates are raging - considered unlikely - ministers could, of course, change approach. |
| But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described the PM's plan as a "half-baked announcement from a government paralysed by chaos and incompetence". | But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described the PM's plan as a "half-baked announcement from a government paralysed by chaos and incompetence". |
| He said the PM's strategy was not "a plan to live well with Covid" and would instead "leave us vulnerable". | He said the PM's strategy was not "a plan to live well with Covid" and would instead "leave us vulnerable". |
| The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford argued the government's decisions were "bereft of science or consultation" and asked what funding would be available for testing in Scotland. | The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford argued the government's decisions were "bereft of science or consultation" and asked what funding would be available for testing in Scotland. |
| Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents hospital trusts, said while it recognised the importance of having a living with Covid plan, it would be "very premature to see this as signalling a permanent victory" over the virus. | Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents hospital trusts, said while it recognised the importance of having a living with Covid plan, it would be "very premature to see this as signalling a permanent victory" over the virus. |
| He said many NHS figures were "concerned about the potential impact of these decisions" and it was therefore "vital" the government kept an "open mind" and be ready to restore phased out testing and surveillance systems should they be needed. | He said many NHS figures were "concerned about the potential impact of these decisions" and it was therefore "vital" the government kept an "open mind" and be ready to restore phased out testing and surveillance systems should they be needed. |
| Ministers should assess the impact of restricting access to free testing, he said, warning there was a risk of "significantly exacerbating health inequalities". | Ministers should assess the impact of restricting access to free testing, he said, warning there was a risk of "significantly exacerbating health inequalities". |
| The Blood Cancer UK charity accused the government of lifting restrictions "without a plan to protect immunocompromised people". It said that of the 500,000 severely immunocompromised people in the UK, about 230,000 have blood cancer. | The Blood Cancer UK charity accused the government of lifting restrictions "without a plan to protect immunocompromised people". It said that of the 500,000 severely immunocompromised people in the UK, about 230,000 have blood cancer. |
| Helen Rowntree, the charity's director of research, warned the ending of legal measures would "cause huge anxiety among immunocompromised people and leave many of them feeling abandoned". | Helen Rowntree, the charity's director of research, warned the ending of legal measures would "cause huge anxiety among immunocompromised people and leave many of them feeling abandoned". |
| 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. | 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. |
| Face masks continue to be a condition of carriage on London's transport network, but London mayor Sadiq Khan said on Monday that he expected the rules would be lifted following the PM's announcement. | Face masks continue to be a condition of carriage on London's transport network, but London mayor Sadiq Khan said on Monday that he expected the rules would be lifted following the PM's announcement. |
| Just over 91% of people in the UK aged 12 and over have had a first dose of a vaccine, 85% a second jab, and 66% a booster or a third dose, according to official data. | Just over 91% of people in the UK aged 12 and over have had a first dose of a vaccine, 85% a second jab, and 66% a booster or a third dose, according to official data. |
| On Monday, the UK recorded a further 38,409 confirmed daily cases and another 15 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test. | On Monday, the UK recorded a further 38,409 confirmed daily cases and another 15 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test. |