Plan B Covid regulations will be phased out - REPORTS

The work from home advice has ended with immediate effect.

The PM said: “From now, the government is no longer asking people to work from home and people should now speak to their employers about arrangements for returning to the office. And having looked at the data carefully, the Cabinet concluded that once regulations lapse, the government will no longer mandate the wearing of face masks anywhere.”

This means that the wearing of face masks in public spaces such as shops and on public transport in England will no longer be mandatory after 27 January. However, transport operators can specify mask wearing as part of their conditions of carriage.

In addition, from this Thursday secondary school pupils will no longer have to wear face masks in classrooms and the Department of Education will be removing guidance on their use in communal areas.

While face masks will no longer be mandated, the prime minister said people are still advised to wear coverings in enclosed or crowded spaces, particularly when meeting strangers. Johnson said: “In the country at large, we will continue to suggest the use of face coverings in enclosed or crowded places, particularly where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet. But we will trust the judgement of the British people and no longer criminalise anyone who chooses not to wear one.”

The prime minister also confirmed that mandatory Covid passports for entering nightclubs and large events would end, though organisations can choose to use the NHS Covid Pass voluntarily.

The PM said government intended to end the legal requirement for people to self-isolate after they tested positive for Covid-19. While self-isolation regulations remained in place for now, as Covid becomes endemic they would need to be replaced with advice and guidance. When the current self-isolation regulations expired on 24 March, Johnson said he expected not to renew them. If the data allows, the PM said the government would seek a vote in this House to bring that date forward.

Restrictions on visits to care homes in England are also to be eased further. Health secretary Sajid Javid will set out plans.

Johnson said the government would also set out its long-term strategy for living with coronavirus and how it planned to avoid bringing in restrictions in the future. He said: “In advance of that, we will set out our long-term strategy for living with Covid-19, explaining how we hope and intend to protect our liberty and avoid restrictions in future by relying instead on medical advances – especially the vaccines which have already saved so many lives.

“But to make that possible, we must all remain cautious during these last weeks of winter. When there are still over 16,000 people in hospital in England alone, the pandemic is not over. And, make no mistake, Omicron is not a mild disease for everyone – and especially if you’re not vaccinated.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he would back the lifting of Plan B measures if the science said it is safe, but added the government must have a ‘robust plan” to live with Covid.

UK daily infections have been falling, with the total recorded over the past seven days down 38.9% on the previous week. The number of Covid-related hospital is also decreasing, with the weekly figure down 2.9% in the seven days up to 14 January. On Tuesday, the UK recorded 94,432 new cases.
However, there were 438 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, the highest figure since 24 February, but the daily death figure tends to be higher after weekends because of reporting delays.