LONDON: Britain’s government said most coronavirus restrictions, including mandatory face masks, were lifted in England on Thursday after its vaccine booster rollout successfully reduced serious illness and Covid-19 hospitalizations.
As of Thursday, face coverings are not required by law anywhere in England, and there is a legal requirement for covid Passes for entry to nightclubs and other large venues have been abolished.
The government last week dropped its advisory for people to work from home as well as for face coverings in classrooms.
The so-called “Plan B” measures were introduced in early December to stem the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. Health To buy services and time for the population to receive their booster vaccine shots.
health secretary Sajid Javido Said the government’s vaccine rollout, testing and development of antiviral treatments combine to create “some of the strongest defenses in Europe”, allowing a “cautious return” to normalcy.
But he added that “as we learn to live with COVID, we need to be clear that this virus is not going away”. While infections continue to decline, health officials said omicrons are prevalent across the country, especially among children and the elderly.
Officials said around 84 per cent of people over the age of 12 in the UK have received a second dose of the vaccine, and of those who are eligible, 81 per cent have received their booster shot.
The number of people hospitalized and in intensive care units has stabilized or fallen, and daily cases have fallen from a peak of more than 200,000 cases a day around the new year to less than 100,000 in recent days.
Prime Minister Boris johnson Omicron said last week that the surge in infections “is now peaking nationally”.
As the government moves away from legal measures, some shops and public transport operators say they will continue to ask people to wear face masks. london mayor Sadiq Khan Said that face coverings will still be required in Rajdhani buses and metro trains.
The legal requirement for infected people to self-isolate for a full five days remains in place, but Johnson said that measure too soon to expire, should be replaced with advice and guidance for infected people to remain vigilant .
Health officials have said they are planning a long-term, post-pandemic strategy that treats COVID-19 more like the flu.
scotland, Wales And Northern Ireland, which makes its own public health rules, has similarly eased its virus restrictions.
As of Thursday, face coverings are not required by law anywhere in England, and there is a legal requirement for covid Passes for entry to nightclubs and other large venues have been abolished.
The government last week dropped its advisory for people to work from home as well as for face coverings in classrooms.
The so-called “Plan B” measures were introduced in early December to stem the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. Health To buy services and time for the population to receive their booster vaccine shots.
health secretary Sajid Javido Said the government’s vaccine rollout, testing and development of antiviral treatments combine to create “some of the strongest defenses in Europe”, allowing a “cautious return” to normalcy.
But he added that “as we learn to live with COVID, we need to be clear that this virus is not going away”. While infections continue to decline, health officials said omicrons are prevalent across the country, especially among children and the elderly.
Officials said around 84 per cent of people over the age of 12 in the UK have received a second dose of the vaccine, and of those who are eligible, 81 per cent have received their booster shot.
The number of people hospitalized and in intensive care units has stabilized or fallen, and daily cases have fallen from a peak of more than 200,000 cases a day around the new year to less than 100,000 in recent days.
Prime Minister Boris johnson Omicron said last week that the surge in infections “is now peaking nationally”.
As the government moves away from legal measures, some shops and public transport operators say they will continue to ask people to wear face masks. london mayor Sadiq Khan Said that face coverings will still be required in Rajdhani buses and metro trains.
The legal requirement for infected people to self-isolate for a full five days remains in place, but Johnson said that measure too soon to expire, should be replaced with advice and guidance for infected people to remain vigilant .
Health officials have said they are planning a long-term, post-pandemic strategy that treats COVID-19 more like the flu.
scotland, Wales And Northern Ireland, which makes its own public health rules, has similarly eased its virus restrictions.
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