Last Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the House of Commons that the virus's incidence and hospitalizations are declining, and that scientists believe the Omicron wave has now peaked nationally. He announced,
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Because of the extraordinary booster campaign, together with the way the public has responded to the Plan B measures, we can return to Plan A in England and allow Plan B regulations to expire…But to make that possible, we must all remain cautious during these last weeks of winter.
As coronavirus restrictions are eased from today, we look at what Brits can and can't do.
Face Masks
Rules prohibiting the wearing of masks in public places in England will be repealed. People are currently required to cover up when using public transportation and visiting other crowded places. From midnight today, Brits will be able to visit any of these locations without wearing a face mask. Rules requiring students to wear masks in class have already been repealed.
Vaccine Passports
Large venues such as football grounds and nightclubs will no longer require proof of vaccination or a negative test. Vaccine passports will no longer be used for domestic purposes from midnight tonight. Indoor events with more than 500 people and outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people are still prohibited.
Travel
From 4 a.m. on February 11, Covid testing for fully vaccinated travellers will be discontinued. According to Grant Shapps, arrivals will only need to fill out a Passenger Locator Form when entering the UK as long as they have got both jabs.
Care Homes
According to current government instructions, each care home patient can name up to three visitors who will be allowed to visit regularly with a negative test result. However, this is projected to change shortly, allowing residents to have more visitors.
Isolation
Isolation requirements are set to expire on March 24—or sooner—meaning that those who test positive for Covid are no longer needed to segregate. Everyone who tests positive for the virus is currently required to stay at home for at least five days—and this is not going to change. Fully vaccinated people who are close contacts should take tests daily, but do not require isolation as long as their results are negative. Meanwhile, unvaccinated people who live near Covid patients must be quarantined for ten days. However, if cases stay low and no new severe variants emerge in March, it may be dropped.
Return to office
In a powerful boost to the economy, Britons were told to return to work on Friday, January 21. While the work from home measures was technically advisory, many businesses followed them, and city centres became quiet. High levels of home working have played a crucial role in limiting ongoing pandemic growth.
