LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is removing all covid-19 restrictions in England, including the requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate.
Johnson on Monday (Feb 21) told lawmakers in the House of Commons that the country was “moving from government restrictions to personal responsibility” as part of a plan for treating COVID-19 like other transmissible illnesses such as flu.
He said it marked an end to “two of the darkest, grimmest years in our peacetime history.”
Johnson has confirmed domestic legal restrictions will end on Thursday (24 February). The legal requirement to self-isolate ends. From April, the Government will update guidance setting out the ongoing steps that people with COVID-19 should take to be careful and considerate of others, similar to advise on other infectious diseases. This will align with testing changes.
Self-isolation support payments, national funding for practical support and the medicine delivery service will no longer be available.
Routine contact tracing ends, including venue check-ins on the NHS COVID-19 app.
Fully vaccinated adults and those aged under 18 who are close contacts are no longer advised to test daily for seven days and the legal requirement for close contacts who are not fully vaccinated to self-isolate will be removed.
